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CONTENTS

8
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
4 D’var Malchus
8 Profile
SOUL TREK IN THE HIMALAYAS 22 Parsha Thought
By Shneur Zalman Berger
24 Story
18 Chinuch
GIFTED CHILDREN 28 Moshiach & Science
By Nosson Avrohom 31 Story

34 Feature
THE ULTIMATE GIFT

16 38 Obituary
NINETY YEARS YOUNG
By Shneur Zalman Berger Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272
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D’VAR MALCHUS

BASI L’GANI 5731


In honor of Yud Shvat, Beis Moshiach
presents a selection of the maamer the
Rebbe MH”M delivered on Yud-Alef
Shvat 5731, which is being studied this
year by chassidim all over the world, in
accordance with the custom established
by the Rebbe to review each year a
section of the Rebbe Rayatz’s maamer we have ascribed paramount
“Basi L’Gani” of 5710. • This year we begin importance].
the 20-year cycle anew, focussing on the ´rst Similarly, it is impossible to
say that the reason for Creation is
section of the profound and foundational for the sake of attaining perfection
chassidic discourse. • Part 1 – that He should [be revealed to]
be perfect in His deeds, etc. – as
Translated by Boruch Merkur asserted in Eitz Chayim, for to
achieve this end it also would have
sufficed to create just the higher
1. […] In the first section of Hemshech 5666 sheds light on this worlds [and the lower worlds
the maamer “Basi L’Gani” (the central theme of “Basi L’Gani.” thereby become superfluous].
portion that is relevant for this In the Hemshech, the Rebbe The ultimate reason for
year), there are two concepts that Rashab cites a) the Zohar that Creation is as it is said in the
constitute the main theme: says that the reason for Creation Midrash on the verse in Shir
a) The dwelling place that is is in order for G-d to be known by HaShirim, “‘His calves are pillars
established for G-d in this world His creations. The Rebbe Rashab of marble’ – ‘His thighs (shokav)’
[through the Divine service of also quotes b) Rabbi Chayim refers to the world, which G-d
iskaϔia (resisting temptation), Vital’s Eitz Chayim – that Creation yearned (nishtokek) to create.”
etc.] serves as a home for His provides a forum for the revelation No intellectual reason is provided
very essence, referred to as “ikar of G-d’s powers and deeds, etc. as to why G-d had this yearning;
Sh’china,” the primary and inner The Rebbe Rashab comments G-d simply desired to draw
dimension of the Divine Presence, that the reason for Creation down a revelation of the essence
the aspect of light that transcends brought in the Zohar is not the of His Infinite Light specifically
the worlds. ultimate true reason, for the intent into the lower dimension [the
b) This dwelling place is of “in order to be known” is physical world]. Indeed, our
located, as it were, specifically in fulfilled specifically in the higher Sages have said, “G-d desired to
the lower realms. worlds, especially in the world of have a dwelling place in the lower
And these two concepts are Atzilus, where the knowledge of worlds,” referring to the impetus
interrelated: A dwelling place G-dliness infinitely surpasses the for Creation as G-d’s “desire”
for G-d’s essence is established knowledge that can be acquired in because it is not compelled by an
specifically through the Divine the worlds of Bria and Yetzira, and intellectual rationale. It is, rather,
service of the lower realms, by it certainly exceeds the knowledge a desire, a state that transcends
resisting the influence that stems of G-d that is attain in this lower, reason and intellect. To further
from the Other Side [the side physical world. Thus, on the basis elucidate this point, our Rebbeim
of evil] and transforming that of this reason alone it would not of blessed memory have said on
darkness into light. have been necessary for there the matter, “Questions cannot be
2. The discussion of the to have been the creation of the asked regarding a desire,” meaning
reason for Creation brought in the physical world at all [to which that this desire [for Creation]
beginning of the Rebbe Rashab’s

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‚
stems from a dimension that is not “The ultimate reason for Creation is as it is said
subject to questioning, etc., insofar
as it is beyond reason and intellect,
in the Midrash on the verse in Shir HaShirim, “‘His
even transcending the very origin calves are pillars of marble’ – ‘His thighs (shokav)’ refers
of primordial intellect, the aspect to the world, which G-d yearned (nishtokek) to create.”
of Divine Wisdom.
The approach of the Zohar No intellectual reason is provided as to why G-d had this
– that G-d created the world yearning; G-d simply desired to draw down a revelation
in order to be known by His
creations – provides a reason and of the essence of His In´nite Light speci´cally into the
intellectual explanation. Namely, in lower dimension, into the physical world.”
order that G-d’s creations should
come to know [His qualities of
perfection and excellence] that Divine Presence to depart. The no proof, that is, of any benefit
He is [for example] merciful and Rebbe Rayatz’s maamer elaborates resulting from the original descent
gracious, etc. Likewise, the intent on this point, saying that [this of sin. Rather, it appears that the
of Creation offered by Eitz Chayim process was not irreversible, analogue departs from the analogy,
– so that the perfection of G-d’s rather] repentance for the sin, as follows.
powers and deeds, etc., should etc., evokes, “‘I have returned The descent of the soul to the
be revealed – is an intellectual to My garden (gani)’ – to My lower world is the order originally
reason and consequence that private chamber, etc.” Repentance established in the process of
will be revealed from latency to elicits the return of the Divine Creation. Of force we must say
actuality. However, according to Presence, the ikar Sh’china, to the then that the intent of the soul’s
the words of the Alter Rebbe, the lower worlds. The inference here descent is that it should ascend
true motivation for Creation is at is that the ikar Sh’china would be higher than the place from where
a level that transcends reason, etc. present once again as it was prior it descended. But the sin of
In fact, there is no explanation or to the sin. However, in truth we the Tree of Knowledge and the
intellectual reason; G-d simply are forced to say that repentance subsequent sins, were not part of
desired to have a dwelling place in evokes an even higher revelation the plan, as it were. For did not
the lower worlds. than prior to the sin. G-d create Man upright? (Koheles
We may, therefore, assert the Support for this assertion 7:29) These sins, rather, were a
following elucidation of the Rebbe is derived from the analogy of result of the freewill granted to
Rayatz’s statement in his maamer the descent of the soul into the Man. Man freely chose to sin,
that “the ikar Sh’china was present body, insofar as it is known that thereby blemishing himself and
in the lower realms [originally, its descent is for the sake of a transgressing the proper path.
at the beginning of Creation].” subsequent ascent. For were it Thus, there is apparently nothing
Since G-d “desired” to have a no so, what would be the point compelling the notion that the
dwelling place in the lower worlds, of its original descent? This line elevation of repentance that
[the nature of] the dwelling place of reasoning is said regarding follows sin should surpass the
reflects its source, the place of its something particular (the descent height that existed prior to the sin;
origin, which is the very essence of an individual soul), but the it is sufficient to say that it simply
and being of G-d, transcending same is true – in fact, it is even repairs the damage [and takes the
any possible reason, etc. And more certainly true – regarding soul back to where it was prior to
since there was a Divine “desire,” the general process of Creation the sin].
so it was in actuality [for G-d is (hishtalshlus), etc. Thus, the But in truth we must say
omnipotent and infinite, therefore revelation brought about through that there is indeed a greater
any latent Divine capacity is also repentance (which follows the height attained, that through
manifest]. Thus, the ikar Sh’china, descent of sin) surpasses the repentance one reaches an even
G-d’s being and essence, was revelation that existed prior to the higher revelation, etc. And this
indeed originally present in the sin. is because the descent of sin is
lower worlds. However, at first glance we can in fact analogous to the descent
It was explained above say that there is actually no proof of the soul in the body, as will be
(quoting the Midrash) that the sins derived from the concept of the explained.
of the early generations caused the descent of the soul into a body; [To be continued be”H]

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PROFILE

SOUL TREK IN
THE HIMALAYAS
After 25 days of meditation and isolation from
the world and surviving on little food, I lost my
way in a forest amidst the Himalayan mountains.
In the moment between despair and hope I
called out to the Creator of the world for the ´rst
time.

By Shneur Zalman Berger

D
ror, a young man in search of Truth or, as he put it, “to public school studies where
his forties, is a shliach find shleimus (wholeness).” Today he learned Torah with the
in northern India. To he sports a black hat and full beard commentary of renowned bible
look at him you would with the refined face of a Tamim. critic Umberto Cassuto.
find it hard to believe that he Dror grew up in the Beit As a nature lover he made
himself spent time in HaKerem neighborhood of many trips to deserts and forests
the ashrams of Yerushalayim. He would attend all over the country and by the
India in demonstrations with his friends age of 15 he was a tour guide
against the religious Jews who with a conservation society. In
opposed open roads and movie his free time he would take groups
houses on Shabbos and Yom of kids on tours. He learned to
Tov. On Yom Kippur he differentiate between hundreds
rode his motorcycle. of different plants, animals, birds
His knowledge of and bugs. His intense desire to
Judaism was discover the wonders of nature
limited to pushed him to take a month’s trip
his to Kenya even before he graduated
high school.
When he finished twelfth
grade he traveled to India
where he saw, for

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the first time, local people bowing
to idols and offering incense. He
was horrified.
He started his military service
as a medic in the paratroopers but
then switched to the unit that he
really wanted to be in. He was
placed in charge of a navigational
unit, and later he conducted a
survival course for soldiers in
special units.
“In the survival course soldiers
learn how to manage on little food
and how to sustain themselves
emotionally if taken captive, G-d
forbid, and what to do when lost
in unfamiliar territory.” When
he finished his army duty, Dror
worked in various tour-related
jobs.
“The survival course that

‚
I offered for civilians was a
challenging one, with the central I visited libraries in religious areas of Yerushalayim
idea being, ‘there is nothing that
stands in the way of the will.’ I and found the Heichal Menachem library on
taught them how to survive in Yeshaya Street. I walked in without a kippa and with a
a desert and under the harshest
conditions. The highpoint of long ponytail and sat down to read.
the course was a solo exercise in
caves. Each participant was placed
in a cave in the Judean desert
captivated him. Neither and political leader of the Tibetan
equipped with only a liter of water;
spirituality nor politics interested people, lives there. There are a
no flashlight, no sleeping bag or
him. number of ashrams where the
anything else, and that is where
“I hiked and toured until the locals study Tibetan philosophy.
they spent the night.”
thrill of the great outdoors wore Though it is presented as a
Throughout this period of scientific philosophy, it’s actually
off and I lost interest. I sought
time Dror had no connection to a religion, i.e. avoda zara (idol
something to identify with,
Judaism. At home he absorbed worship). Because of their dismal
something that would appeal to
acerbic anti-religious attitudes. political situation, the Tibetans are
me. I began visiting ashrams. I
Despite his strong connection to very interested in having people
met monks and talked to them
his land, he felt that it was too from Western countries study
about spirituality and even had
small for his ambitions. He packed their religion, for thus they gain
a conversation with a guru. I
his clothes, took some money, and worldwide popularity. Although
became acquainted with various
went on a long trip in India. For I was anti-religious I joined the
cultures and religions but did find
three months he traveled through classes in the Tibetan ashram.
any that sat well with me.
India and Nepal with only his
“One day I arrived in “The approach was attractive
backpack. More than anything
Dharamsala in northern India to me and I found it very
else he loved the Himalayan
where Tibetan refugees live. Most interesting. I studied it for ten
mountains.
of them fled from China after the months and used my free time
Nature made him feel to read many books that they
Chinese murdered over a million
wonderful and this is what he had in their library. I felt great,
of them. The Tibetan leader,
sought. The majestic mountains thinking I was achieving that state
who serves as both the spiritual
and the magnificent scenery

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PROFILE

of perfection I had been searching classes as I did, came over to me. I enjoyed the content – it was
for. At a certain point I seriously I was writing in my diary and he about worlds, s’firos, and souls
considered becoming a monk, G-d asked me what language I was battling for a person’s neshama.
forbid. writing in. When I told him that Although I had learned a lot about
“Then certain things happened I am Israeli and I was writing the Tibetan religion’s secrets,
that began to wake up the Jewish in Hebrew, he laughed. When it did not enable me to feel that
soul within me. These signs made I asked him why he laughed he I belonged because I studied it
me realize there is a Creator of the said, ‘For five years I tried learning only out of curiosity and as an
world who wanted to get me back Hebrew because I wanted to study outsider. In contrast, what I read
to my people. the Kabbala which is the truest in those booklets moved me. I felt
teachings in the world. When I it pertained to me and spoke to my
“The classes were given by a
gave up on learning Hebrew, I heart.
monk who spoke Tibetan and were
sufficed with coming here to study “As it says in Tanya, there are
translated by one of his followers
meditation according to Tibetan two inclinations battling within
into English. I discovered that
teachings, but you know Hebrew! a person, and the evil inclination
the translator was a Jew from
Why don’t you study Kabbala?’ within me woke up in full force. I
England who had suffered from
anti-Semitism in her youth and “Until that point I was so was suddenly overcome with anger
decided to convert. She moved to immersed in worlds distant from against those who spread Judaism
India and studied Tibetan religion, Judaism, but what he said woke me even in this small Tibetan village.
language and culture. up and led to me to think, ‘Hey, There was another Israeli guy who
I am Jewish, a member of the was with me in the ashram, equally
“Then one day she began to
Jewish people.’ But another part immersed in Tibetan teachings
miss home. It was at the end
of me whispered that Judaism was and he shared my feelings about
of a long day of classes, Friday
archaic and irrelevant. Besides, religion. ‘They’re chasing us
night. She came over to me and
if it had anything to do with how even here?’ I exclaimed to him in
asked me to say ‘Gut Shabbos’
Charedim behaved back home it disbelief. He responded cynically,
to her. That seemed odd since
surely was not the Truth. ‘Who knows, maybe one day it will
I considered Yiddish to be a
“I continued visiting ashrams have an effect on you …’
primitive language that was extinct
and I my connotations of the and in one of them I found books “I continued studying as usual.
word ‘Shabbos’ were from the on Kabbala! Since that German But something subtle had changed
demonstrations in Yerushalayim. had spoken highly of it, I looked within me. I had softer feelings
But I said it to her and she began at the books and felt that I was towards Judaism and not the same
to cry and told me that it made her connecting to what they said, but level of hate that I felt back home.
so homesick for her parents’ home obviously it was hard for me to ***
and Judaism. Suddenly, Judaism understand what was written in
“At that period of time I was
was on the map. It made me think. these books.
convinced that I would stay with
A short while later another thing “After a few weeks I found the Tibetan people forever. At
happened. booklets written in Hebrew lying a certain point I decided that I
“I was sitting as usual in on top of bookcases in the library wanted to check out whether
a restaurant in the center of of the ashram where I studied. meditation gave me what I wanted:
Dharamsala one morning, when An Israeli had left them behind. I satisfaction, joy, and the feeling
one of the people there, a German read the booklets and found them that I belonged. The experiment
who attended some of the same written in a light and easy style. was complicated.

‚
“I packed my clothes, food,
“I eventually learned that the purpose of learning some equipment and a tent and
Chassidus is to prepare the world for Moshiach. hoisted it all on my back. I then
began climbing in the mountains.
I also learned about the Nasi HaDor through whom all I looked for a deserted place
energies µow to the entire world and it was an especial that was inaccessible. After a
protracted search I found a place
pleasure for me when I realized that the Lubavitcher that met my needs and pitched my
Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach.” tent. This would be my base for
the next thirty days, in the course

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of which I would do a certain
form of meditation while being
disconnected from friends and
family. This location enabled me
to be completely cut off. My plan
was to try it for thirty days and
then decide whether this was the
path for me.
“For twenty-five days I sat
there on the mountain, removed
from the world and focusing
my energies for the purpose of
understanding the inner workings
of the soul until I could connect
to my innermost core. I barely
ate, but after a time, I had hardly
any food and drink left. I became
very weak. As the days passed I
concluded that meditation had
nothing to it and accomplished
nothing.
“In order to see my plan
through (thirty days) I began
packing up on the twenty-fifth
day since I knew that I had a
five day journey until I reached
Dharamsala.
“The weather was fine and the
snow had started to melt. The
melting snow caused erasure of the
paths and road markers embedded
in rocks and I lost my way. I was
astonished, since from a young
age I had been traveling to distant
and unfamiliar places across Eretz
Yisrael, Africa, India and Nepal
and I had never gotten lost. Close to the heavens in the Himalayan Mountains
“I was weak from lack of
nourishment. I was in an endless the Creator of the world for the I saw smoke in the distance. With
forest, which seemed to have no first time in my life and asked hope in my heart I set off and after
beginning or end. I was plagued Him to save me. In my heart I two exhausting days I arrived at
by anxious thoughts. What will I vowed that if I got out safely I the hut of an Indian family who
do if I break a leg or injure myself would immediately return to Eretz lived in the middle of this forest in
while climbing? Who will rescue Yisrael and there, near the Kosel, I the Himalayan mountains. The
me if I’m not on a path or any would say the HaGomel blessing. smoke was emerging from the
place where people go? The sun I remembered once hearing from chimney of the oven in their home.
set and I sat leaning against a tree my older sister, who had learned They graciously hosted me and I
and slept. a bit about Judaism, that when a ate something and regained my
person experienced a miracle they strength. Then my host showed
“In the morning I began had to say this blessing. I was sure me the way back to Dharamsala.
climbing to the top of the the blessing took at least an hour
mountain I was on and while “A short time later I boarded a
to say. plane and I arrived in Eretz Yisrael
climbing, in the moment between
despair and hope, I called out to “When I arrived at the summit early on the morning of Shavuos.

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PROFILE

discovered that this was not the so his k’suba was written with his
FEAR UPON THE NATIONS place to find what I was looking correct name: Dror Moshe.
for. I visited libraries in religious His wedding took place in
The day Boruch slaughtered the areas of Yerushalayim and found Sivan, 5758, at Moshav Orah
chickens for Pesach, the yard was filthy the Heichal Menachem library near Yerushalayim. The guests
with blood and feathers. What a day for on Yeshaya Street. I walked in were from all segments of Israeli
the landlord to show up! When he saw without a kippa and with a long society: friends from the tour
the mess he was furious. “Pack up your ponytail and sat down to read. groups, Chassidim from Breslov
belongings and get out of here!” The book Sod Hashem L’Yirei’av and Chabad, students of Rabbi
We couldn’t possibly leave Erev by Rabbi Yitzchok Ginsburgh Ginsburgh, etc.
Pesach and find another place to live and really appealed to me. He explains
After the wedding the new
do our programs! Boruch brought the the soul and the world according
couple lived in Tzfas and Dror
landlord over to the large picture of the to Kabbala.
continued growing in Judaism
Rebbe and told him, “This rabbi is the “I wanted to learn more about and Chassidus through a friend,
one who sent us here. If you throw us Judaism, especially about Jewish Yisrael Cohen. He continued
out you will have to deal with him.” mysticism. I attended lectures learning Chassidus and broadened
The man kissed the picture with given by rabbis and visited yeshivos his knowledge of Judaism. He
respect and said quietly, “Okay, clean up of the kabbalists. I began wearing attended farbrengens and before
and everything will be fine,” and he left. a kippa and started observing long he was wearing a sirtuk,
mitzvos like Shabbos and kashrus, hat, and gartel. He continued
which brought on pressure from learning in the Chabad Kollel in
My family was surprised by my
my family: ‘What – you became Tzfas, where he began studying for
unexpected arrival but were even
religious all of a sudden?’ smicha.
more surprised when I asked my
brother to accompany me to the “One evening I went to the “After a while, I was asked
Kosel. He exclaimed, ‘You, were Yeshurun shul for a shiur given by by Ascent to lead tours for the
so anti, and now you want to pray Rabbi Yitzchok Ginsburgh. What seminars they ran. After my initial
at the Kosel?!’ he said made a deep impression reluctance I agreed, but this time I
on me and gave me a strong desire sat down to prepare what messages
“It was still the morning of
to study mysticism. This led me I would convey. Together with R’
Shavuos when I arrived at the
to the Chabad yeshiva in the Yad Ginsburgh I prepared concepts
Kosel. Thousands of people in
Eliyahu neighborhood in Tel Aviv, from Chassidus and Kabbala that
holiday clothes and wrapped in
which is run by R’ Ginsburgh. I I taught along with explanations
tallitot were calmly walking the
loved learning Chassidus and more about the plants and animals we
streets of the Old City. Before
than anything else – the maamarim saw.
my mind’s eye I could see the
of the Rebbe Rashab from the year
Tibetan monks dressed in their “I could see that the people
5670, which we studied in depth
orange robes and contrasted that were thirsty for spirituality and
there. It was an indescribable
with the completely different scene mysticism and I knew I had to
pleasure for me to learn this.
before me. I felt so connected to find the right way to reach them
these Jews and how much I loved “I eventually learned that the based on methods I had learned in
them because they were part of purpose of learning Chassidus is to India. In the many conversations
the nation that I had so wanted to prepare the world for Moshiach. I I had with R’ Ginsburgh we came
abandon. also learned about the Nasi HaDor up with a system of Chassidic
through whom all energies flow concepts based on Kabbala
“I discovered that the
to the entire world and it was an which I taught. It was based on
HaGomel blessing is just one
especial pleasure for me when I contemplation of the higher worlds
sentence, but that blessing near the
realized that the Lubavitcher Rebbe and S’firos as they manifest in the
Kosel was a milestone on my way
is Melech HaMoshiach.” human soul, along with soulful
towards Judaism and Chassidus.
At a certain point, Dror moved Chassidic niggunim.
***
to Yerushalayim and married. The classic example is chapter
“I developed a warm feeling Shortly before the wedding he 11 of Igeres HaKodesh in Tanya.
for Judaism. I naively thought visited his grandmother who told It says there, ‘When a person
that I would find books about it him that in addition to the name meditates with the depth of his
in the public library but I soon Dror he was also named Moshe, understanding and pictures his

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coming into being from nothing at
literally every moment, how could
he imagine that it is bad for him or
that he has any suffering related to
children, health, and sustenance
or other sufferings in the world.
For the ayin (naught) which is
His blessed wisdom is the source
of life, welfare and delight … In
fact, however, no evil descends
from above and everything is
good.” During the course, I
directed the students to meditate
in great depth on “something from
nothing” as the basis of knowing
that everything is good and no evil
descends from above.
“We also incorporated other
concepts based on G-d’s greatness
as well as on the G-dly and animal
souls.”
The Rebbe’s picture greets all guests
Throughout his journey

‚
towards Judaism and Chassidus,
About 170,000 Israeli tourists go to India every
Dror did not forget the picturesque
Tibetan village of Dharamsala and year! 3000 of them visit the Chabad house in
the young guys there who sought
Dharamsala.
Judaism but didn’t know it. He
kept thinking about them and one
day he came up with the idea of
going to India and contacting the may it be in a permanent way. By 5760, and then Michal, the baby
hundreds of Israelis immersed in the organizers having a sense of and I felt we were ready for
the cults there, for the purpose permanent commitment in time shlichus. We didn’t have much
of exposing them to the light of and in the soul, this will make it money. People in Tzfas, especially
Chassidus. more established and will attract R’ Leiter, paid our expenses. After
“I had misgivings about the even those who, for now, say the Purim meal in R’ Ginsburgh’s
idea,” said Dror candidly. “We that they are still not of Anash … house which was also a goodbye
had a baby, our oldest son, Levi and in a way that even after your party, we flew from Tel Aviv to
Yitzchok, and we didn’t know return from there, in a good and Delhi.
what to do. I consulted with R’ successful hour, the connection “R’ Nachman Nachmanson,
Ginsburgh and R’ Shaul Leiter will be ongoing and be a channel shliach in India, welcomed us and
of Ascent and both of them for instilling Torah and mitzvos, helped us tremendously. Shortly
encouraged us to go on this unique illuminated by the light of Toras after we arrived in Delhi we took
shlichus. Ha’Chassidus. May it be with a jeep with a local driver and
“We also asked the Rebbe outstanding success and your drove 18 hours to Dharamsala.
through the Igros Kodesh and influence will affect the ones you On this exhausting trip we were
the answer we opened to gave are trying to influence.’ stopped by policemen who
us the strength we needed to “We knew that the physical conducted a thorough search of
go on shlichus. The letter was and spiritual conditions there our luggage. We had 90 kilograms
from 27 Sivan, 5716. It’s a long for a religious couple would be of matzos, personal stuff, and the
letter and I’ll quote just a few extremely difficult. In order to beginnings of a Chabad house,
lines, ‘May you have good news gain the strength we needed for which included: sifrei Chassidus,
to report soon from the ongoing this challenging trip we flew to brochures on Moshiach and
activities you’ve written about … Beis Chayeinu for Yud Shevat, Geula and more. The policemen

Issue 771 • #'1+-1&'!& 13

771_BM_Eng.indd 13 1/3/2011 1:12:56 PM


PROFILE

expressed their surprise about how farbrengen, which was attended by is our G-d in the heavens and the
much we had with us. I told them thirty Israelis. earth” – which made a tremendous
that I was bringing ‘holy bread for “The Chabad house began to impression on them and directed
the holy nation’ … I explained to hum with life. We had over 100 their attention towards Judaism.
them that a group of Jews lived in guests for every Shabbos meal. What motivates Israelis to go
Dharamsala and they were a holy The chevra davened together there?
people and I was bringing them the and joined the meals and along When they are in Eretz
holy bread, which they eat. The the way they learned concepts of Yisrael they feel that spirituality is
policemen allowed us to continue. Judaism and Chassidus and had bankrupt and they seek something
“The trip itself was full of an authentic Jewish experience. fundamental and maybe even
experiences and mishaps. An 18- Every Rosh Chodesh we had a big unusual that will interest them.
hour trip with one’s wife and baby farbrengen with dozens of Israelis. The atmosphere in Eretz Yisrael in
is no small thing … Our main activity was ‘Meditation general is tense while in India there
“As soon as we arrived we Seminars,’ which was actually are endless cults with a completely
took a room in a local hotel and Chassidic thought.” different way of life which is more
began our work. In the meantime How did the Israelis find out primitive but also more serene.
I started looking for a house, about your programs? About 170,000 Israeli tourists
which was no easy task. I knew We gave out flyers in the go to India every year! 3000 of
I needed to find a big house from restaurants and guests houses them visit the Chabad house in
where I could start large-scale and word got around. There are Dharamsala. When they come
outreach. The main problem was hundreds of Israelis in Dharamsala here and see the big “Chabad
that many houses in Dharamsala and the turnover is great, with house” sign in Hebrew, it affects
are rented to tourists by the room, people constantly coming and them deeply. They come in,
so one room may be available but going. Many of them come for listen, learn, join a course that
the other rooms are occupied. It’s a ten-day course in an ashram, we give and this encounter with
hard to rent an entire house. which is attended by about 80 the depth of Chassidus at the
“We started seeing miracles people. The Israelis call the foot of the Himalayan mountains
just about as soon as we arrived. course “the silence” because does something in their neshama.
We managed to rent the largest the participants have to practice Many of them entered for what
house in the village. In the days meditation exercises with their they thought would be a quick
before we arrived the rooms were eyes closed while focusing on visit to see what was going on
quickly vacated, one after the impure names for 16 hours a day! and ended up staying for a shiur
other, and the landlord did not Throughout this ten-day course or t’filla and then stayed on for
find replacement guests so we they have to be absolutely silent. weeks. They slept, ate and learned
could immediately sign a contract How many of the 80 in the Chabad house and made
and move in. participants are Jewish? significant strides in their move
“There are hundreds of Israelis towards Judaism.
Most of them are Israelis. The
in the village on a continuous Chabad house on the way to the What did the locals think of
basis. Some of them are tourists ashram so all visitors first see you?
who come and go and others live our huge sign that reads, “And Our initial welcome was from
there permanently. The latter Mordechai the Jew did not bend our landlord. When he saw the
know the place well and helped nor bow.” picture of the Rebbe at the front
us buy kitchen equipment and of the Chabad house, he bowed
Pesach night, the Israelis in the
some minimal furniture. They down to the picture and asked for
ashram heard the singing coming
even helped us arrange the first his blessing. I told him, “Behave
from the Chabad house – “One
as you should and then he will

‚
bless you.” And then we got into
When the landlord saw the picture of the Rebbe
a discussion about the Seven
at the front of the Chabad house, he bowed Noachide Laws.
down to the picture and asked for his blessing. I told him, In general, Indians admire
those who stick to a spiritual path
“Behave as you should and then he will bless you.” and disdain those Israelis who

14 #'1+-1&'!& • 2 Shvat 5771

771_BM_Eng.indd 14 1/3/2011 1:13:10 PM


vacillate between exploring the
religions and cultures of India and
partying with reckless abandon.
When they saw me dressed in
religious garb, many of them
simply came over to see and even
to help us.
Tell us about the meditation
seminar that you do.
We have eight seminars,
each one lasting five full days,
from nine in the morning until
six at night. It includes shiurim
with particular attention given
to Chassidic concepts such as
belief in G-d and fear and love
of G-d. We mainly learn Tanya
and maamarim combined with
Chassidic niggunim, intensifying
the spiritual experience. The
learning is done in lectures and
with chavrusas (study partners)
and we quickly see results. Many
ask for more than one seminar and
stay on for several. Others become
regulars at the Chabad house
and start putting on tefillin and
keeping Shabbos. These regulars
help the new ones acclimate to the
Chassidic environment.
My wife gives a special seminar
for women, paving the way for
them get involved in Jewish life.. Twelve guys plus my wife and baby went on a grueling hike in the mountains
***
Some start doing mitzvos and back to the Chabad house. We all
In India it’s much easier to
some go back home and attend the wondered how she got out in the
win Israelis over. There are many
yeshiva in Ramat Aviv. Dror keeps middle of the course. She started
reasons for this, one – they are
in touch with all of them. crying and when she calmed down
far away from the ideas prevalent
“There was an interesting she told us what happened. ‘Every
in Eretz Yisrael. Two – the
incident with a girl who, towards time I tried closing my eyes and
atmosphere in India is such that
the end of the seminar, told us she concentrating on the meditation
people are open, and Dror takes
was leaving to take the ‘silence’ exercises, I just couldn’t do it. In
advantage of this feeling to instill
course at the ashram. I could see my head I could hear the Shir
Chassidic concepts.
that I could not dissuade her. We HaMaalos that they always sing in
“I once tried to arrange a the Chabad house before Birkas
parted ways and I hoped for the
similar seminar back in Eretz HaMazon. Along with the tune I
best.
Yisrael but didn’t find many people also thought about the concepts I
who were interested in attending.” “One of the rules in the silence
had learned in the Chabad house.
course is that it is for ten days.
The participants at the seminar When I saw that I just could not
Nobody walks in or out of the
in India express their satisfaction continue, I explained this to the
ashram; even a dropout has to stay
with the Chassidic ideas they learn monks and left.’”
there until the course is over.
and begin taking serious steps That is just one story out
towards religious observance. “Two days later the girl came
of many about the impact the

Issue 771 • #'1+-1&'!& 15

771_BM_Eng.indd 15 1/3/2011 1:13:15 PM


PROFILE

changed my outlook. He showed


me how what I taught was actually
absorbed. Tangible proof that
‘no evil descends from above’ was
something we saw a few hours
later. As darkness descended,
a hailstorm began pounding the
mountains. Within a short time
the ground was covered with a
layer of hail twenty centimeters
thick. Hail continued to fall and
we were soaked to the bone. We
looked for a cave or any sort of
shelter when one of the guys
suddenly noticed a small hut not
far away. We ran into the hut
where some locals were already
sheltering.
“As we sat there, we noted
that if the eight people hadn’t left
us and we would have continued
Spiritual hike in the mountains with his baby on his back
moving, we would not have had

‚
any shelter on this stormy night.
I considered turning back when a fellow named ‘No evil descends from above.’
Nir (who had taken three courses with us) said “We got up in the morning,
davened, and started hiking again.
emotionally, ‘Dror, you always tell us what it says in
We began climbing the ridge,
Tanya, – no evil descends from above because all was which is 4000 meters high. With
great effort we reached the summit
created from the ayin which is all good,’ so how can you
and felt closer to the heavens
despair? than ever. At this point, when we
were all on a high, we turned to
Chabad house has on its visitors. physical exertion as you climb the Ronen, who until now had refused
Dror tries every possible way to mountains with a large backpack. to put on tefillin, and I said to
reach all the young people who The first night, eight of them him, ‘Ronen, we are close to the
are searching for something. One dropped out. There are no words heavens now; it’s your chance to
day he came up with the idea of to describe my feelings at the time; put on tefillin.’
going on a Chassidic hike into the I was on the verge of despair. I “Ronen thought it over and
mountains. considered turning back when then, with a little tear in the corner
“We went on a three day trip a fellow named Nir (who had of his eye, he quietly said, ‘Since
in the mountains together with a taken three courses with us) said my bar mitzva I have not put on
group. As a ‘professional tourist,’ emotionally, ‘Dror, you always tefillin. Now I am ready to put on
I led the outing with the road tell us what it says in Tanya, – no tallis and tefillin and I also want to
markers being Chassidic ideas evil descends from above because blow the shofar. That is how I will
connected with what we saw. We all was created from the ayin feel close to G-d.’
traversed glaciers till we got to a which is all good,’ so how can you “Ronen davened with great
high ridge where, in the serenity despair? Turn it around – think of passion for the first time in his
which cleans the mind, we sat and it as you going with your wife and life on a mountain peak in the
delved into Chassidic ideas and child on a hike in the Himalayas, Himalayas. As our trip continued
farbrenged now and then. on your own, when you suddenly we felt like one family and I was
encounter four Israeli guys who able to have heart-to-heart talks
“We were twelve guys,
join your Chabadi outing!’ with the guys. At the end of our
my wife and our baby. A trip
like this requires tremendous “He said this sincerely and he trip they committed to putting

16 #'1+-1&'!& • 2 Shvat 5771

771_BM_Eng.indd 16 1/3/2011 1:13:28 PM


on tefillin daily and to continue Pesach was very special. souls and brought many closer to
attending classes on Chassidus in Boruch Shinhav and his wife Torah and mitzvos.
the Chabad house.” joined us, as well as the bachur Nir The physical and spiritual
Where did you get kosher food Goshen, and they helped us out, conditions were extremely difficult
from in Dharamasala? particularly with the seder, which and when the tourist season
was attended by over 200 people! was over, they returned to Eretz
We bought fruits and
Nir slaughtered dozens of chickens Yisrael, where their daughter
vegetables in the local market but
for us. was born. They had set up an
we had big problems with all other
products. We had brought many *** infrastructure in Dharamsala
staples with us from Eretz Yisrael, That is how the Shaul couple’s and the following Elul another
as well as food for the baby. We shlichus in Dharamsala began, couple – Zohar Dovid and his
had pas Yisrael since my wife with this four-month stint. They wife – went there for Tishrei and
baked bread. We had no meat at reached hundreds of Israeli did tremendous work. They have
all except for Pesach. youth and taught them a bit of since made Rishikesh their place of
Chassidus, which woke up their shlichus.

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Issue 771 • #'1+-1&'!& 17


BEIS MOSHIACH 25

771_BM_Eng.indd 17 1/3/2011 1:13:36 PM


CHINUCH

GIFTED CHILDREN
A class was recently opened for gifted children
who learn in Chabad yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael.
We spoke with Mrs. Nechama Rosenberg about
this educational endeavor that she initiated.
Perhaps it provides a model for Chabad
communities in other parts of the world.

By Nosson Avrohom

A
fter a few years
of indecision and
consultations, the
first class for gifted
Lubavitcher children opened. The
person behind this complex project
is Mrs. Nechama Rosenberg,
whose son was tested as gifted.
This class is an experiment and the
way it looks now, interest in this
program is growing.
“These children are not having
their needs met within the system
and they’re bored,” she explains.
“The teacher explains something
for the third and fourth time, and
they understood it the first time
or maybe even before the teacher
began the lesson.”
The first school participating
in this experiment is the Talmud
Torah Chabad in Petach Tikva.
The principal, Rabbi Meir
Bostomsky, realized the potential
in a class like this. The teacher
chosen is the shliach, Rabbi
Pinchas Altheus. So far, the
talmidim meet only once a week
for a day packed with educational
adventures and challenges. The
class is for young students in the
lower grades and they hope to
expand it to other grades.

18 #'1+-1&'!& • 2 Shvat 5771

771_BM_Eng.indd 18 1/3/2011 1:13:48 PM


“We started the bureaucratic
process of being recognized by
the Education Ministry, which will
be a big help in the cost. Many
of the parents who spoke with
me in response to our advertising
said the only obstacle for them is
the cost. We are already halfway
through the process of being
officially recognized,” says Mrs.
Rosenberg.
The opening of a class for
the gifted generated plenty of
discussion and debate. The
question was whether it was right
to open such a class. There were
educators who supported and
educators who opposed it, but they
all agreed in the end that it is a
response to an existing reality.
We always knew that weak Children from the gifted class on an educational trip to Kfar Chabad
children need help. Their

‚
difficulties with the material create
“These children are not having their needs
problems and frustration, and
educators deal with it. There are met within the system and they’re bored,” she
teachers in Special Education who
explains. “The teacher explains something for the third
have studied various approaches
to diagnosis and treatment for and fourth time, and they understood it the ´rst time or
weak students, but the gifted
maybe even before the teacher began the lesson.”
student, who also requires ‘special
education,’ has been neglected.
It’s just as hard for them to sit
in the classroom as it is for weak especially for them. They learn who learn with us say that it
students. The child who grasped Tanya or sichos of the Rebbe positively affects the entire week.
the material within the first on the parsha. They study the We have a child whose teacher
minutes of the lesson sometimes Mikdash and the keilim (vessels), said he cannot sit for five minutes,
sits for a day or even two, doing material that is not usually in the though with us he listens closely
nothing. He is bored and the curriculum and which piques their for an hour and a half. They
boredom often leads to trouble interest and is challenging for often say that these children have
making. He has to be a tzaddik to them. behavior problems, but this is not
sit in class for days doing nothing true; they are simply bored and
This kind of learning gives
when he knows it all. need to be taught on their level,
them so much and it changes their
These children become behavior. We see tremendous and this is what we are doing.”
impatient. They get sent out improvement. When they return It wasn’t easy starting a
of class and problems multiply. to their regular classroom they program like this. Like most new
However, “in the class for the need to make up the material that endeavors, the costs are high, but
gifted that takes place once they missed, which gives them according to Mrs. Rosenberg, it’s
a week, we are providing an something to do, and the very fact worth it.
excellent solution,” say R’ Altheus. that they know that once a week “I have a son who has been
“They learn new concepts to they will leave the classroom for tested as gifted and it was hard
broaden their knowledge, they intellectual stimulation stills that for him to manage in a regular
learn chapters in Jewish history desire to stir up trouble. classroom. At the end of last year
in a program that was compiled
“The parents of the children I decided to do something about

Issue 771 • #'1+-1&'!& 19

771_BM_Eng.indd 19 1/3/2011 1:13:52 PM


CHINUCH

know who has greater intellectual


abilities than the average child?
First, we have a professional
evaluation done. In addition
to that, parents can sometimes
identify this on their own. This
is child who loves to learn and
who, when he comes home, is a
bookworm, a child who wants
to know and acquires a broad
knowledge. This same child is
often bored and disruptive in
school and yet, his marks remain
high. These are signs that indicate
that he is gifted.
“Not every child who is
disruptive or somewhat more
mature than his classmates is
gifted, of course. There are also
children who are gifted who
manage to ‘go with the program’
and remain ‘good children’ and
behave, but it’s a pity that their
abilities are going to waste.
“We set up a curriculum which
is challenging. A child who cannot
keep up with it is not gifted. When
a child joins the program and
Creative lessons in the gifted class
doesn’t keep up, he goes back to
the regular program immediately.

‚
We’ve had a number of those.”
I was apprehensive about whether I could get
Did the Rebbe refer to
something like this going. I wrote to the Rebbe anything on this subject?
through the Igros Kodesh and the answer I opened to “In the yeshiva in Lubavitch in
the time of the Rebbe Rashab there
left no room for doubts. The Rebbe wrote that he was were tests with high thresholds
‘happy to hear that a Talmud Torah was about to open’ and if you did not pass them, you
were not accepted. The Rebbe
and we were on our way. designated outstanding students
who were called shivas ha’kanim
(the seven branches of the
it. After the school in Petach Tikva course, I was apprehensive about Menorah).
agreed to host us, I put an ad in whether I could get something like “We didn’t invent this need,”
the Kfar Chabad newsletter and this going. I wrote to the Rebbe explains Mrs. Rosenberg. “We
got phone calls from many parents through the Igros Kodesh and the shouldn’t be asking whether it
who were dealing with the same answer I opened to left no room is right or not right to start this
problem. Together we decided for doubts. The Rebbe wrote program; rather, where were we
on a format and got the program that he was ‘happy to hear that a until now? How many gifted
off the ground at the start of this Talmud Torah was about to open’ children suffer from problems
school year with a small group and we were on our way.” because their educational needs
of children. The class keeps on Who is considered a gifted were ignored and nobody bothered
growing as new students join. child? finding out why they behaved the
“In the planning stages, of “The question is, how do we way they did?

20 #'1+-1&'!& • 2 Shvat 5771

771_BM_Eng.indd 20 1/3/2011 1:14:05 PM


“I spoke with Rabbi problem of their learning needs. Mrs. Rosenberg knows that this
Gluckowsky and Rabbi Yeshaya One day a week is not our idea. class won’t solve all the problems
Weber and they were both very The Education Ministry designated of the gifted. “A soup kitchen
encouraging. Some people one day a week for the gifted, and will not solve the problems of the
warned that we were creating this decision was made by people poor and a hospital won’t solve
a dangerous precedent, but the with experience in education. On the problems of the ill, but they
opposite is true. Just as people did this one day they don’t merely can provide a great deal of help.
not recognize the need for Special learn but they meet other children This program won’t solve all the
Education for weak students, the like themselves whom they can problems, but it definitely provides
same is true in this case. There relate to intellectually. a solution for many of them.
are gifted students who, if their “That they have to make up the “It’s a small class with a few
needs aren’t met, will fall out of work they missed in the regular children and each one can speak
the system. This is not about classroom is good for them. It up. It’s very important for a gifted
elitism and parents who are snobs would be a mistake to remove child to be able to express his view,
who don’t want their children them entirely from the regular and the inability to do so is very
learning with others who are on classroom and provide them with bad for him. This way, he knows
a lower level. Not at all! This is a a separate track because they need that one day a week he can express
serious problem that has not been to know how to get along with himself relatively freely.”
addressed in the past. average children. If we take them Perhaps parents in other locales
“The program, for the out of a regular class entirely, they will be motivated to try a similar
meantime, is only once a week but will lose contact with normative initiative.
we are wondering whether one day society.”
is sufficient to address the larger

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42 17 Teives 5771 BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 771 • #'1+-1&'!& 21


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PARSHA THOUGHT

THE ANGELS
WERE BAFFLED
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

T
wo weeks before the would represent the beginning of to the lunar and solar years) –
Exodus G-d introduces the month, the first month of the can actually alter the biological
the first Mitzvah to Moses year. changes that hinge on time
and Aaron, “This month However, the Talmud uncovers because the Torah has endowed us
shall be for you the head of the a deeper meaning, one that has with the power to control nature!
months. It shall be the first of the had far-reaching legal and even This is a revolutionary concept,
months of the year for you.” physical ramifications: revolutionary even with regard to
There is a puzzling Midrash on The Talmud focuses on the the celestial forces. As the Midrash
this verse: words “for you,” and states that states that G-d and his entourage
When G-d said “This month the decision and ability to declare of angels in the “heavenly court”
shall be for you” the ministering the new month resides with you, will “descend” here to consult with
angels said to G-d, “Why did you Moses and Aaron, or with your the human courts as to when the
tell Adam ‘On the day you shall eat duly selected successors, the new month will be declared.
from it you shall surely die?’” members of the Sanhedrin, whose This indeed is the power
G-d answered, “In the future function it would be to determine entrusted to the Jewish people that
the son of Yishai [King David] each month on the basis of the they are not subservient to nature;
will emerge and will say, ‘Tremble sighting of the moon. It is you who on the contrary, nature can be
and sin not; reflect in your hearts are empowered to declare when subservient to them.
on your beds, and be utterly silent the new month will commence.
When the angels realized this
forever.’” Furthermore, the Talmud revolutionary power that was
This Midrash is culled from a teaches us, even if the courts given to humans, they realized
body of Midrashic selections that were in error about the day that those human beings do not
were designed as riddles so that they declared to be the first of essentially need external support
we should search to discover their the month, and even if it was for them to toe a straight line. If
inner meaning. Presumably it was deliberate on their part to delay the the human being, they argued,
not just to sharpen our minds but, onset of the new month, it is still has the capacity to control nature,
rather, to uncover a deeper layer sanctified. The courts were given how much more so that he has the
of meaning that is relevant to our the power to change the timing power to control his or her own
own lives. of the new month. And, on that internal impulses.
basis, the Holidays will follow suit.
Let us try to decipher this Why then, the angels asked, did
Passover, for example, which is
Midrash: G-d tell Adam that on the day he
on the fifteenth of the month of
The Midrash quotes eats from this specific tree he shall
Nissan, will be on the fifteenth of
the opening words of the surely die? The meaning of this
the month, counting from the day
commandment to establish a threat was to discourage him from
the courts declared it to be Rosh
system of determining the months, succumbing to his base instincts
Chodesh, even though in truth it
“G-d said, ‘This month shall be and animal nature. But why did
should have been the day before.
for you’”. What does this verse say Adam need to be threatened
According to the Jerusalem with death in order urge him to
and what does it imply?
Talmud, this declaration – which comply? Shouldn’t it have sufficed
The simple meaning of this advances or delays the onset of for Adam to know that even if
phrase is that on the first day the new month (and the same is his nature tells him to eat of the
of the month of Nissan, G-d true about the declaration of an forbidden fruit his mind should
informed Moses and Aaron that extra leap-month to bring parity
when they see the new moon it

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‚
and would exercise control over his This indeed is the power entrusted to the Jewish
desires?
people that they are not subservient to nature;
Adding to their confusion was
the fact that the day that Adam on the contrary, nature can be subservient to them.
was commanded not to eat the
forbidden fruit was (according From this we derive that while degree to which you will always be
to the Talmudic sage Rabbi a human being is endowed with in control.
Yehoshua) the first day of Nissan, the capacity to control nature, However if you lose that ability
the same day that G-d told Moses we also have the ability to travel because you allowed yourself the
that he did indeed have control to places, or to put ourselves in license to distance yourself from
over nature! But if this day did situations, where we are tempted Torah study and dabble in foreign
indeed give us the dynamic power or where we become desensitized, pastures, as did Rabbi Elazar ben
to dominate nature, then why then and where our minds no longer Arach, then you must descend to
did Adam need the threat of death wield the same influence over the second alternative: to realizing
on that very day? our desensitized hearts. In these your own mortality and that
The angels were baffled. situations we must temporarily rely therefore physical and material
They could not comprehend on the more morbid consideration pleasures are merely transitory.”
the complexity of the human of our mortality in order to win the
Commentators point out that
condition. Yes, there are certain battle with our evil impulse.
the gematria (numerical value)
people and certain times when G-d’s response to the angels of the words “This month shall
the mere suggestion by a Higher thus was to quote the son be for you” is the same as that
authority that one should suppress of Yishai, who alludes to the of Moshiach the son of David.
one’s own nature because it is the approach outlined in the Talmud: This suggests that the power to
proper thing to do is sufficient. When one is plagued by the evil control nature, which is implicit
But, there are also certain impulse he should ideally study in this verse, will become obvious
individuals and certain times Torah or read the Shma – which and the exclusive influence in the
when mortals are more vulnerable proclaims G-d’s unity – in order Messianic Age.
and must be reminded of their to disarm this evil impulse. And if
mortality. This lack of consistency, Moshiach will usher in a new
neither of these tactics work, then,
the mono-dimensional angels consciousness wherein we will
the Talmud tells us, remember the
could not comprehend. always be masters of nature. The
day of one’s death.
world will follow the dictates of the
There is a story in the Talmud When we lose control—or Torah, and we will no longer need
about one of the greatest Sages, never had it in the first place—we to invoke our own mortality. Thus
Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, who should have a fall back position, life will return to the way it had
moved away from his colleagues to help keep us going on the true been before Adam sinned—eternal
and the center of Torah at Yavneh Torah path. Thus G-d subtly life. There will be no need for
to a town known for its choice suggests to Adam, “You may not mortality to keep us straight.
wine and other worldly delights have the ability to control nature
(in fact, the Talmud relates that As long as we are in exile we
all the time, but nevertheless you
the exiling of the Ten Tribes was must utilize the two-pronged
can overcome your temptations by
a consequence of their close approach in dealing with our
realizing that you are mortal.
proximity to that place known for challenges. But as we prepare for
G-d was not threatening Adam the imminent Redemption, the
its sybaritic nature). As a result of with death; he was telling him that
his “attraction” to these delights angels’ objections to the need to
a human being has two options: remind man of his mortality will be
he forgot his Torah knowledge “You can exercise your G-d given
and even mispronounced the verse sustained. By saturating our minds
ability to transcend your own with Torah, specifically the parts of
cited above. Instead of reading nature, but to maintain that level of
the Hebrew ha’chodesh ha’zeh Torah that deal with Redemption,
transcendence you must keep your we gradually wean ourselves from
lachem – This month shall be for mind attuned to the Torah. It is the
you, he read: hacheresh haya libam the need to be reminded of our
Torah mentality that transcends mortality and, instead, we prepare
– Was their heart silent. In Hebrew nature and temporality. And to the
spelling the two phrases are almost ourselves for the eternal life which
extent that your mind is saturated will follow the coming of Moshiach
identical. with Torah knowledge it is to that and the complete Redemption.

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STORY

A MESSAGE OF HOPE PART I


Three girls were having a lively
discussion. It was two against one.
AMID THE ASHES “No way! How will it help us?”
exclaimed Ora.
“What do you have to lose?”
An amazing story that happened twelve insisted Mali. “It will take five
minutes and even if it doesn’t help,
years ago in one of the Carmel yishuvim it won’t hurt.”
following a huge ´re in the area. “It just doesn’t sit well
with me,” said Yafit squirming
By Sholom Kramer uncomfortably. “All this mystical
stuff gives me the willies.”
“First of all, it’s not mysticism.
Second, how do you know it’s
not for you? Did you ever try it?”
challenged Mali.
“Fine, let’s go then,” said Yafit.
“But first I want to watch and
listen and only then will I make my
decision.”
Mali, a resident of Rechovot,
had come close to Chabad a few
years earlier. She frequently wrote
to the Rebbe through the Igros
Kodesh and she wanted her friends
to do the same. The three friends
who had just finished seminary
went to the Borochov home in
order to write to the Rebbe and ask
for a bracha for a shidduch.
Mrs. Borochov welcomed
them graciously, invited them
to sit down and explained to the
newcomers what the Igros Kodesh
are and how to ask the Rebbe for
a bracha.
Before leaving Yafit Cohen
confided in Mrs. Borochov. “I have
a problem,” she said hesitatingly.
“My parents were in a terrible car
accident. My father’s spine was
injured and he is confined to a
wheelchair. He took it very hard
and cannot understand how G-d
can do this to someone. His faith
has faltered, and he stopped doing
even basic mitzvos.”
“Tell him what you heard
here,” suggested Mrs. Borochov.
“Tell him about the Rebbe and the

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‚
Igros Kodesh, and convince him to “If you see that they’re not willing to read the
write a letter to the Rebbe.”
article, then just leave it on the table. Who knows?
“It won’t help,” said Yafit sadly,
shaking her head. “Many people Maybe one day they will read it and be convinced.” Ya´t
have tried talking to him but he agreed and took the article.
refuses to listen.”
Mrs. Borochov thought for a
moment and then said, “I have
an article that was printed in “Hello Mrs. Borochov, how are The residents of the yishuv
secular newspapers about the Igros you?” The girl didn’t notice Mrs. where Yafit’s parents live were
Kodesh phenomenon. Give it to Borochov’s uncertainty and went not concerned. The firemen had
him, and perhaps it will convince over to her with a big smile. said that the fire was not heading
him.” “Thank G-d, I’m fine but in their direction and they had
“I know my parents,” sighed perhaps you can remind me ...” nothing to worry about. So when
Yafit. “They won’t listen. Many they saw the curtain of flames from
“Sure, I’m Yafit Cohen.”
have tried but to no avail.” their windows it was a terrible
Mrs. Borochov immediately shock. People ran back and forth
“If you see that they’re not remembered who she was and from their homes to their cars in
willing to read the article, then just said, “Ah yes. Is there any good the attempt to save whatever they
leave it on the table. Who knows? news about your parents?” could but the fire was advancing
Maybe one day they will read it For a moment Yafit’s face rapidly and they were forced to
and be convinced.” turned serious and she said with a evacuate immediately.
Yafit agreed and took the sigh, “No, nothing changed.” The fire spread through the
article. It seemed to Mrs. Borochov yishuv all that day and it was
that she was hiding something and only the following day that they
PART II that this something wasn’t good, could return to their incinerated
but she didn’t push her. If Yafit homes and try and see if anything
The many lights shining in
didn’t want to share it, that was remained. When Yafit’s parents
the hall glared in her eyes and the
her prerogative. saw their home, they were
noise level of voices and laughter
interfered with her ability to think. shocked. All the other homes that
The bass reverberating from the PART III were affected by the fire had been
loudspeakers banged away at partially burned and something
At first it seemed like an remained even of those homes
her like pounding fists. Mrs. ordinary fire. A field of thorns
Borochov scanned the room for that had been badly affected. As
and weeds had begun to burn and for their home, it was completely
the happy kalla (bride) Mali. She from there it spread to some trees.
had that wonderful feeling of joy gone. All that remained was a pile
Then, suddenly the entire Carmel of ashes.
and satisfaction; this was the third was burning. Firemen announced
kalla in half a year. The three girls that there was nothing to worry With tears of sorrow and
who had come to her to ask for a about, “within a day, it will be despair, Yafit’s mother sifted
bracha for a shidduch had found fine,” but they underestimated through the ashes. Perhaps she
their match and two of them had the power of the blaze. The wind would find something of value.
already married. Now it was the fanned the flames and the fire She suddenly noticed something
turn of the third one, the one who rapidly spread to forests, fields that had not turned to ashes.
had persuaded the others to ask and even the yishuvim in the area. Her eyes widened in amazement.
for a bracha. Tons of water had been dumped It was a piece of paper she
She noticed the kalla sitting and hundreds of volunteers were recognized; it was the newspaper
on her special chair. One of called upon to control the fire. article her daughter had given her
her friends was bent over her, The firemen used helicopters, to read about the Igros Kodesh
whispering into her ear. The kalla trucks, hoses, anything which which she had refused to look at.
laughed, and the friend raised her would help to fight the blaze, but This article was the only item to
head. Two pairs of eyes met and the fire, as if mocking their efforts, survive the conflagration. Even
Mrs. Borochov tried to remember continued to advance, acre by acre, the table that the article had been
why that face looked familiar. field after field. on had turned to ash.

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STORY

She bent over and with “Then I have a story for you.” good and no evil descends from
trembling hands picked up the And the woman launched into her above …
paper, shook it off, and standing story about a malignant tumor in Then the Rebbe quotes the
there in the ruins she read it. At her brain and how, after asking the Tzemach Tzedek:
first she was still crying and her Rebbe for a bracha, the tumor had
I received your letter and I
tears dripped on to the paper. disappeared.
had already heard about this
When she finished reading it she Encouraged by her story, the previously, and I hereby come
felt a glimmer of hope. Cohens sat with Rabbi and Mrs. to console them based on what
Borochov and talked. Then R’ was copied from a handwritten
Borochov said to Mr. Cohen, “So note of my grandfather [the Alter
PART IV
what do you think about asking the Rebbe] that he wrote to someone
Mrs. Cohen spoke on the Rebbe?” of Anash who suffered a fire
phone with Mrs. Borochov and
Mr. Cohen went over to the … I heard from the mouths of
told her everything she and her
bookcase and took volume 10 of lofty saints about the aphorism
husband had been through. She
the Igros Kodesh. He opened people say that after a fire
told her about the car accident.
it randomly to page 306-7 that you become wealthy that it’s
Although she felt a certain measure
contains two letters. The second because the channeling of the
of relief in unburdening to the
letter was a letter of consolation supernal holy attributes is thus:
person listening to her, there was
to the residents of Kfar Chabad chesed (kindness), din (justice),
a hesitancy in her voice as she
after the massacre in which five rachamim (mercy, compassion),
finished her story and said, “The
T’mimim were murdered by Arabs. so after the severity of the fire,
truth is that I wasn’t so sure about
The Rebbe quotes the Alter Rebbe the attribute of compassion is
whether to call you … I didn’t
about the trait of compassion: aroused which is greater than the
know what I was supposed to do
I heard from the mouths attribute of chesed...
and then I remembered that my
daughter had mentioned you and I of lofty saints explaining the The Tzemach Tzedek goes on
decided to call.” aphorism people say that after to say:
a fire you become wealthy. The Therefore he instructed to
“You did the right thing!”
reason for this is because the the recipient of the letter to be
exclaimed Mrs. Borochov
channeling of the supernal strong and to rebuild his home
reassuringly. “Now take your
holy attributes is thus: chesed in its place. And from his holy
husband, wheelchair and all, and
(kindness), din (justice), words it would seem correct to
come over. We have a lot to talk
rachamim (mercy, compassion). say in your case that you should
about.”
Accordingly, after the severity help each other and you should
“Wh...what did you say?” of the fire, the attribute of rebuild your homes in their
“Get into the car and come compassion is aroused which location.
over!” repeated Mrs. Borochov. is greater than the attribute of
R’ Borochov then went on to
When she realized that Mrs. chesed at the outset, as we know
read the two lines on the top of p.
Cohen was still uncertain she that this [compassion] is the trait
306 that completed the letter from
began telling her miracle stories, of Yaakov, an inheritance which
the page before:
one after the other, that happened is boundless, that links from one
through the Igros Kodesh. Mrs. end... [Do not] uproot your dwelling
Cohen was impressed and made an because of the incident, as it is
Then the Rebbe quotes the
appointment to meet on Chanuka. there, specifically, where Hashem
Mitteler Rebbe:
will command his blessing and
When they arrived at the I’ve come to console your mercy, a boundless inheritance.
Borochov home, a woman there hearts for the hand of G-d has
said to them, “Hi, who are you? Mr. Cohen’s eyes nearly
touched upon them … your
popped from his head.
“We came to hear more hearts should not despair for
information about the Igros surely Hashem will arouse His “How can that be?” he
Kodesh,” said Mr. Cohen great kindness and mercy on muttered in amazement. “I didn’t
somewhat dubiously. you … and it is known that tell anyone. How does he know?”
“And maybe to ask for a every din consists of hidden “What are you talking about?”
bracha,” added his wife. kindness. Therefore, everything asked R’ Borochov.
the Merciful One does is for the

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“After the fire, we
presented a claim to the yishuv
administration, asking them to
pay for all the damages due to
the fire, but they refused. They
weren’t even willing to listen to
our demands. After living and
working together for so many
years, their flat-out refusal was an
insult. We were planning to leave
the yishuv. We didn’t tell anyone
of our intentions, not even our
daughter. And here, it’s as though h
the Rebbe read our thoughts and
is telling us not to move. This is
astounding! A miracle!”
There was nothing to say.

‚
The letter was about a fire and
consisted of many blessings with “After the ´re, we
an explanation that the attribute off
justice is followed by the attribute presented a claim to the
of mercy and kindness in a more yishuv administration, asking them to pay for all the
expansive way than previously
experienced. damages due to the ´re, but they refused. They weren’t
“The Rebbe said many times even willing to listen to our demands. After living and
that mezuzos and t’fillin are a
working together for so many years, their µat-out refusal
segula for protection,” said R’
Borochov, trying to strike while the was an insult. We were planning to leave the yishuv.
iron was hot. “What do you think
We didn’t tell anyone of our intentions, not even our
about checking your t’fillin and
mezuzos?” daughter. And here, it’s as though the Rebbe read our
“Yes, of course we should do thoughts and is telling us not to move. This is astounding!
that,” said Mr. Cohen, “but we
want you to check them.” A miracle!”
R’ Borochov willingly went to
their temporary dwelling that the an explanation about the way not know about the Igros Kodesh
government provided for them and people use the Igros Kodesh to part of it. As a neighbor of the
just as he expected, the mezuzos communicate with the Rebbe. couple I can add a few details.
and t’fillin were invalid. He made One of the stories he told was the “The fire stopped about four
another trip in order to bring the story in this article. The rabbis houses away from their house
family kosher t’fillin and mezuzos, and students listened with great and inexplicably, the fire skipped
and at that point he assumed the interest. There was however one those four houses and landed
story was over. rabbi who had a strange expression right on their house. It looked as
on his face. though Hashem wanted to give
PART V After the farbrengen the them a push of some kind. As for
man came over to R’ Borochov. what you said that he opened to
Some time later R’ Borochov R’ Borochov braced himself for in the Igros Kodesh, you should
was asked to farbreng in a non- an argument, but the man had know that everything the Rebbe
Lubavitch yeshiva. He was happy something altogether different in said, happened! The leaders of
to do so. He sat with the students mind. the yishuv acceded to all their
Friday night and farbrenged till demands down to the smallest
“I knew about the story you
the wee hours of the morning. detail and they got whatever they
told about the fire although I did
Among the topics discussed was wanted!”

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MOSHIACH & SCIENCE

JEWISH TIME
What a coincidence! Here has was on the
24th of Teves reading about the founder
of Chabad’s passing on the 24th of Teves,
while preparing to say Kaddish for the
´rst time for his father who passed away
on the 24th of Teves.

By Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD

I
t is now 30 years since my man, a staunch Zionist from a wail that turned heads in the
first encounter with Chabad traditional family of Chassidic otherwise solemnly silent store.
and my introduction to stock in pre-war Poland. He “Okay, okay,” mom sighed as
authentic Judaism. To mark survived the Nazi concentration she rang out the seasonal memento
the occasion, here is a new and camps by the skin of his teeth, at the cash. Eyes moist but
improved version of a personal risking his life daily by smuggling celebratory, Avraham clutched his
story I previously published, for extra food rations to the needy so little trophy totally oblivious to its
the benefit of those who may have they would not die. In April 1945 religious and cultural symbolism.
forgotten it or missed it the first he was liberated from the camps, Soon he was standing at his
time around. but not from the rheumatic heart father’s bedside, his little heart
The yahrtzait candle was disease he contracted while there. brimming with love.
still burning as Avraham readied Only one event managed to His mother gave Moshe Fishel
himself for New Year’s Eve. He etch itself in Avraham’s memory the flowers and he smiled broadly,
put on his best jeans – naturally from his early childhood days, and setting them down on the bedside
faded and slightly shredded – and that involved his father. Avraham’s table. It seems Avraham caught the
brushed out his shaggy mane of mother had brought him to the spirit of giving and spontaneously
flowing hair down to the middle of hospital to visit his dad during his reached out, handing his dad his
his back. He was in classic form, final days in this world. most prized possession.
closely conforming to the non- They stopped at the gift shop Moshe Fishel looked it over
conformist style of the day, the tail and while mom was choosing slowly then set it softly down
end of the hippy era. flowers at the counter, a colorful beside the flowers. What thoughts
Closing the door to his trendy little item caught little Avraham’s could traverse a man’s mind at a
bachelor pad on the fringes of fancy and would not let go. It moment like this? A man whose
downtown Toronto, little did he was a small wooden carving of an Jewish identity was emblazoned
realize that he was also closing the evergreen tree with snow-tipped on his mind and heart by his faith,
door on life as he had ever known branches and little red ornaments. his traditions, his politics, his
it. “No sweetheart, let’s try persecutors, his friends and family.
For years that lone candle was something else. Here. What do you And now powerless in the
his lone connection to personal think of this?” closing moments of his life on
Jewish observance. It was also Avraham wouldn’t even look. this earth, his little boy, who he
his only connection to the soul of “NO! This one!” he cried. never had a chance to raise and
his father, a man he never knew who he never would have a chance
“I’m sorry, we can’t get that
because he died over 20 years to raise, passes him a token of a
one. Here, have a candy.”
earlier when Avraham was just future he never dared imagine –
three years old. Avraham let out an ear-piercing
total assimilation.
Moshe Fishel had been a strong Avraham stretched his arms out

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towards his dad who summoned and more particularly about wishing with all his heart and
up his remaining strength to lift traditional faith, modern science, soul that someone would turn the
the boy up, giving him a hug and and how they may or may not be wheels of Divine Providence for
holding him high above himself as reconciled. his little boy, away from destiny
he lay prone on the hospital bed. That discussion plowed the of total assimilation and toward a
Moshe Fishel ben Kalman field for the growth and fruition of better life, a Jewish life.
passed from this world days later Jewish life for Avraham as mitzvah And Someone did.
on the 24th of Teves, 5719. after mitzvah grew on him like a Dumb luck? Some might think
Over the years, the total hand into a glove. so. But with about 354 dates in
assimilation Moshe Fishel feared One year later, Avraham lit your average Jewish year, the
started to materialize. Avraham the yahrtzait candle once more. chances of this happening are one
grew up knowing very little Actually by now he was Aryeh in 354 for the father, times 354
about the faith he inherited, and Avraham with the new first name for the Rebbe, times 354 for the
practiced next to nothing of that. taken in honor of his teshuvah teshuvah and times 354 for the
His matza on Passover had ham (return) to Jewish faith and Kaddish. This comes out to one
between, and his annual hour in practice. The other news in his life chance in 15,704,099,856.*
synagogue for Yom Kippur was was his status – engaged, and to a Now on top of all this, what
followed by a much less noble Jewish girl no less. were the chances that he would
ritual, a cheeseburger for lunch. At 1:00 pm on the afternoon go to a Jewish event at all (1 out
As for his beliefs, they were just as of the 24th of Teves, Aryeh of 4,000 days of my adult life),
secular as his lifestyle. Avraham was racing to finish a and an event with a Chabad rabbi
But now, as the yahrtzait book, the Philosophy of Chabad, speaking (one of at least 10 Jewish
candle burned overtime and because momentarily he would parties I could have gone to), and
Avraham’s little red VW Beetle have to get up and go pray the a rabbi who was erudite in a host
sped into overdrive en route to afternoon service. Not that he was of natural sciences (maybe 1 in
the party, the wheels of Divine so committed to congregational 100)? And what were the chances
Providence were making extra prayer. What he was really after of becoming baal teshuvah at all (1
machinations of their own. was an opportunity to recite the in 10?), and happening across that
Avraham, on a dare from a mourner’s prayer – Kaddish – for book (1 in 1,000?), and having
gentile friend, Gordon, broke with his father, and this would be his just that one memory of his father
tradition and was attending for first time saying it ever, and he (impossible to imagine)? By now
the first time in his adult life, a didn’t want to be late. it’s down to one chance in 100
great big party by and for Jews. As he turned the last page billion billion.
Gordon had called him a bigot for of the book, his eyes settled on At that moment, the heavens
not going out with Jewish girls. remarkable fact given the context. parted and Aryeh got to peek
Avraham defended his antithetical The founder of Chabad, R’ Shneur behind the curtain of nature and
stance, claiming they were all Zalman of Liadi, aka the Alter its laws to see Divine Providence
neurotic, materialistic JAP’s Rebbe and author of the Tanya and at work. He had no doubt he was a
(Jewish American Princesses). Shulchan Aruch HaRav, passed pawn in the Divine game of chess
Gordon said there’s good and bad away on the 24th of Teves. called his life. But then the curtains
in all people. What a coincidence! Here has closed and his destiny was back in
“Try it and you’ll see. There is was on the 24th of Teves reading his hands – or so it seemed.
a Jewish girl out there for you for about the founder of Chabad’s (contact info@arniegotfryd.com
sure.” But Avraham was not so passing on the 24th of Teves, or 416-858-9868)
sure at all. Still he decided to try while preparing to say Kaddish for ***
the Jewish singles scene after all. the first time for his father who
Some of you have written me
Boy, was he in for a surprise. passed away on the 24th of Teves.
wondering how this probability
The guest speaker was a And here it was, exactly one year
thing works. Baruch Hashem for
Chabad rabbi who was discussing since his teshuvah started, while
“Oholei Torahniks,” really! My
love, dating and relationships. That the candle was still burning for
three sons never took English or
segued into face-to-face six-hour his father, of whom he had but
Math and I am not sorry. I think
argument about religion generally one memory, in which his father
they have all come out ahead. Now
no doubt did teshuvah himself,

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MOSHIACH & SCIENCE

thinking about three aheads gives getting that mix. The probability Let’s use this same multiplying
me an idea of how to explain the of tossing three coins at once and trick to figure out how likely the
statistics, as follows: getting two heads and a tails can Hashgacha Pratis in the story
Imagine you have three pennies be expressed different ways: As a would be if it happened according
and you want to toss them all fraction (3/8), as a decimal (3¸8 to Hashem’s same Laws of
hoping that all three will come up = 0.375) or as a per cent (37.5%). Chance. In that case it wasn’t
heads. What is the chance of that? Now notice that two tails and like the coins or the Azazel where
In other words, if you were to toss one heads is just as common there were only two outcomes.
these three pennies at once, say a (outcomes 4, 6, and 7) which With dates there are usually 354
million times over, what per cent is another 3 out of 8 possible outcomes – Nisan 1, Nisan 2… all
of the time would it turn out that outcomes. So that’s another the way to Adar 29.
each of three was heads? 37.5%. What we are analyzing is the
Baruch Hashem we do not The rare outcomes are heads chance of all these related events
have to toss the pennies a million only and tails only which each in the story lining up to be Teves
times, a thousand times, or even come out 1/8 of the time. That’s 24. First there’s my father’s
once(!) in order to get an accurate 12.5% for heads only and another yahrtzait, that’s 1/354 that it
answer. We can make a cheshbon, 12.5% for tails only. would be then. Then there’s the
and I’m going to show you how to Alter Rebbe’s hilula, that’s another
Notice you can add these
do that. But before we make that 1/354 probability. Then there’s
percentages all up to get 100%,
cheshbon, let’s stop for a moment my teshuvah falling out at the
which makes sense because with
to think about all the different same time all those years later
all this we account for 100% or all
scenarios how one three-coin toss for another 1/354. Then there’s
of the possible outcomes.
could turn out. Each scenario is finding out from a “random” book
Now I will teach you a short about the Alter Rebbe’s hilula
called an outcome.
cut (like the one I used in the being the 24 Teves the next year on
So if you think about it, either article above). The probability of precisely that date. Let’s call that
it’s going to be all tails, all heads, all three coins being heads is the another 1/354.
two heads and one tails, or two probability of the first one being
tails and one heads. Is there any Just like with the pennies we
heads multiplied by the probability
other possibility? No. Now what is will multiply each probability
of the second one being heads
going to be more common if you together to get the total. So that’s
and then multiply all that by the
did this three-coin toss thing many 1/354 x 1/354/ x 1/354 x 1/354.
probability of the third coin being
times over: Three of a kind or a That’s one divided by a very big
heads too. Because each coin
mix? Your intuition may tell you number, about 15.7 billion. When
has only two possible outcomes
that a mix is more common, and you multiply in all the other related
and they are equally likely so the
your intuition would be correct. mazal factors, you get to one
chance of one coin coming out
Let’s make a list – we will refer to chance in 100 billion billion.
heads is 1/2, or 50%.
the outcomes by letters H and T. Of course you and I both know
So the combined probability
The outcomes are this: that we don’t need statistics to
of 3 coins being heads can be
1) HHH recognize Hashgacha Pratis in
calculated simply as 1/2 x 1/2 x
our lives. But if the animal soul
2) HHT 1/2. Now here’s a trick you might
says, “Naah, it’s just luck,” we
3) HTH not know. When you multiply
can answer the animal soul in its
fractions together, you multiply all
4) HTT own language and say “Oh yeah?
the top numbers together for the
5) THH If it were luck, it would turn out
top number of the answer and you
according to one of the other
6) THT multiply all the bottom numbers
99,999,999,999,999,999,999
7) TTH together for the bottom number
possibilities and not this obviously
of the answer. So that’s 1x1x1
8) TTT meaningful one!”
on top – that’s 1. And 2x2x2 on
That makes eight possibilities the bottom – that’s 8. So the Now do you understand? It’s
altogether. But notice – outcomes probability of throwing three heads not luck at all… it’s Mazal! And
2, 3, and 5 are essentially the in a row is 1/8, which is exactly that’s the fingerprint of Hashem
same – two heads and a tails. That what we figured out above. on the events of daily life.
makes 3 out of 8 possible ways of

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STORY

LAMPLIGHTERS
UNDER ARREST
Two T’mimim were detained at the
U.S.-Canadian border for no apparent
reason on tenuous charges. Yet a reason
emerged. A story of Chanukah mivtzaim.
By Nosson Avroham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

E
very year, a large group continued their journey to New joy broke through all boundaries
of T’mimim, having York. and the activities were highly
completed their year of Realizing that the Americans successful.
k’vutza in Beis Chayeinu, had refused to allow the Late that night, exhausted but
arrive at the MADA Chabad bachurim the cross the border, satisfied, the bachurim returned
Center in Montreal to study for the Canadians conducted their to the Chabad House, lit their
their examinations in rabbinical own thorough check of their menorahs, davened Maariv, said
ordination. While they’re there, travel documents, and they also Krias Shma, and then began a
they spread the light of Chassidus found reason to delay them. sweet and deep sleep. The long
among the growing Israeli These bachurim had tourist visas and tiring day had left its mark.
population in the Canadian city. from the provincial government It’s thereby no wonder that
Four years ago, when this story of Quebec, but none from the the loud ringing of the telephone,
takes place, was no different. national government of Canada, which penetrated the silence of the
After six weeks of intensive and staying in the country required bedrooms, failed to awaken any of
studies at the start of the winter, both. The bachurim pleaded with the bachurim from their slumber.
some of the k’vutza members got the border officials, explaining The next day would be equally
a hankering to spend Chanukah that they had only recently busy with Chanukah activities,
in 770 with the Rebbe, Melech arrived in Canada as students, Chanukah parties, dancing, central
HaMoshiach, and revisit the Jews they had already submitted their menorah lightings, and house visits
they had gotten to know from the applications, and they were still well into the night, and the boys
previous year. The bachurim who in the process of receiving these needed all the rest they could get.
remained in Montreal engaged in visas. However, the stubborn
“The following morning, on
activities with the local population, border guards were not satisfied
our way to the mikveh, we noticed
while the returning T’mimim with this explanation, and they
that our phones were indicating
rented a car and headed for the placed the young men in detention
a large number of missed calls
American border. until a decision could be made in
and new voicemail messages,”
When they at the U.S.- their case.
said one of the bachurim, “but we
Canadian border, they were * * * assumed they were just messages
checked by American border In the meantime, back in in connection with our Chanukah
policemen. Two of the boys Montreal, Chanukah activities activities, which could be dealt
had problems with their travel were underway with a great with later in the day.
documents, and were denied shturem. Thousands of Jews “When we arrived at the
permission to enter the United were exposed to the light and mikveh, we discovered that the
States. The two T’mimim got out the message of the holiday of phones of the yeshiva’s rabbanim
of the car and were sent back to Chanukah. Dancing in circles, lots also had rung throughout the
the Canadian border checkpoint, of candles and jelly donuts – the night, with a large number of
while their other k’vutza colleagues

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STORY

messages left. A brief check What had happened to them? The of the two detainees, and we
revealed that one number appeared bachur wasn’t sure. promised that we would accept
on everyone’s phone, and it “We quickly called the full responsibility that they would
belonged to one of the bachurim American border police, who receive the necessary visas within
who had set out for 770. In the informed us that they had sent two weeks from both the provincial
messages he left, he said that them back to the Canadian side. and national governments. But
the American border guards had Another call to the Canadian the border officials remained
detained him and his companion; border police, and the picture intransigent, refusing to listen
however, he didn’t offer any became clear. The bachurim were to anything we had to say on the
additional details. Constant efforts in their custody, charged with not matter. It appeared to us that this
were made to call him back, but being in possession of valid entry story would take quite some time
his phone was apparently cut off. visas from the Government of before it could be resolved, and
“The only ones who could Canada, a petty accusation that who knew whether they would ever
possibly provide any information usually does not lead to arrest. be allowed to return to Canada?
were their friends en route to However, since the Americans The policemen with whom we
New York. They, however, had no had already stopped them, it was spoke suddenly received an urgent
mobile phones and we had to wait being taken much more seriously call and went outside. Looking
until they reached 770. Finally, and they remained in border out, we saw that the Canadian
after several nerve-wracking hours, police detention. Together with border police had stopped a car
one of these bachurim called a Canadian avreich who had carrying five Americans, and
the Chabad House and told us provided much assistance to the they were bringing them into the
that two of their group had been Chabad House, we immediately station.
stopped at the border. All of their made our way to the border police “All five of these young men
numerous pleas had fallen on deaf station. appeared to be Gentiles in every
ears, and the two were not allowed “When we arrived at the police respect, young Americans who
to cross the border with them. station, we identified ourselves went to travel in Canada. The
as Canadian citizens and friends police had stopped them and

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‚
decided to hold them on the charge As he put on the te´llin, we took several pictures.
that they had problems with their
entry visas into Canada. The five The µashing bulbs attracted the attention of
were brought into the same waiting the border guards, who came in angrily to ask who was
area where our two friends were
being held. One of the T’mimim snapping photographs… His Gentile friends took the rap…
in custody didn’t know a word of The guards erased their photographs, while our pictures
English, except to ask ‘Are you
Jewish?’ Despite the unpleasant remained.
situation, he decided that he would
not sit by idly, and he asked each was a hard nut to crack, and he each one of them and erased their
of the American youths if he was emphatically continued to refuse photographs, while the pictures we
Jewish. One of them said yes. for several minutes, but neither had taken of the event remained
“After the border police had I nor his friends would relent. with us.
conducted their investigation He eventually gave in and put on “The heartfelt conversation
of the American youths, they tefillin. between us and the two young
decided that there was no basis for “After he removed the tefillin, Jewish men continued for several
their suspicions. When the door we told him about Chanukah and minutes, and before they left, we
opened as they left the waiting the Jewish meaning of this holiday. presented them with menorahs and
area, I caught a glimpse of the He was very moved. You could candles from our knapsacks, after
T’mimim. Catching my gaze, my see his soul burning within him we explained to them what to do
friend pointed in the direction of during those moments. We learn and which blessings to recite.
one of these American youths. I in chassidus about the G-dly soul “As we were parting from one
got the hint and realized that he as a literal part of G-d above, and another, before the young men
was Jewish and was in need of how a Jew neither can nor wants to even had a chance to get back
some ‘Jewish treatment’. I directly be separate from G-dliness. As he into their car, the border police
approached him and asked him prayed while wearing tefillin, his officer asked to see our passports
if he would like to put on tefillin. face turned red with emotion and again. A few minutes later, he
He looked at me with a mixture his hands were literally shaking, came back accompanied by the
of contempt and confusion, and and the concept we had heard two T’mimim and informed us that
categorically refused. so many times suddenly became they were being released on their
“A brief inquiry revealed that tangible reality. own recognizance, and we only
while he really was Jewish from “Though he had never put had to make a commitment that
birth, his parents didn’t think that on tefillin before, and had never they would arrange their permits
Jewish tradition was something even heard about it either from in Canada. We were stunned,
appropriate to pass on to him. his father or his grandfather, the never imagining that everything
We also discovered that he had emotion was plainly visible on his would work out so quickly. We
never put on tefillin before. When face. Now having put on tefillin, had assumed that we would have
I realized that this represented he was a proper vessel to listen to remain there for several long
a case of ‘a head that has never and accept. He was turned into a hours, and perhaps even light the
worn tefillin’, I became a bit more much softer person and he wanted Chanukah lights on the border.
stubborn and would not give in. to hear more and more about * * *
Even his companions began to take Judaism.
my side. ‘What do you care?’ they “On our way back to the
“As he put on and wore the Chabad House, we were struck by
asked him. ‘You’re a Jew, and it’s a
tefillin, we took several pictures. the Hashgacha Pratis of it all. G-d
part of your religion.’
The flashing bulbs attracted the had arranged for us to meet them
Another member in this group attention of the border guards, and kindle the flame within the
then said that he was also a Jew, who came in angrily to ask who heart of that Jewish American boy
recalling that he had visited the was snapping photographs, which who had previously known nothing
Western Wall in Yerushalayim with is forbidden at the border. His about Judaism. The mitzvah
his family for his bar-mitzvah and Gentile friends agreed to take candle and Torah light kindled
had put tefillin on there. Despite the rap as if they had been the then will surely shine brightly until
all the urging, this young man paparazzi, and the guards went to Moshiach comes NOW!

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FEATURE

Yisrael Konstantini (left)


with shliach Mendy Mathless,
the donor (right)

THE
ULTIMATE GIFT
On the ´fth day of Chanuka, Yisrael Konstantini celebrated his personal
Chanuka miracle. At the farbrengen held at the Mercaz Chesed in Crown
Heights, he told the story of how his life was saved by a kidney transplant.
Among the participants at his farbrengen were Mendy Mathless, the
kidney donor, and Rabbi Avrohom Lieder, director of Ahavas Chesed, who
orchestrated the miracle.

Photographed by Meir Dahan, New York

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W
hen Yisrael in Netanya and in the central bus they saw that her blood pressure
Konstantini says the station. was unstable and she was deemed
verse, “and examines After a few months, I got the unsuitable.
kidneys and the call I was waiting for. They had My brother Shlomo and I
heart,” each word has special a heart for me. I got up from the consulted with the shliach in
significance to him. Twelve years operation with a feeling of renewal. Netanya, Rabbi Menachem Volpe,
ago, when he needed a heart I felt my new heart was pumping and we realized that we had to
transplant, he thought that one fresh energy into me. widen our search because in Eretz
successful transplant was all he Yisrael I would have to wait years
I returned to normal life. I
could ask for in life, but then the for a donor. Organ donation is not
went back to work in a jewelry
doctors told him that he needed a common, whether for the sake of a
factory and continued doing
new kidney if he wanted to remain mitzva or as the result of a signed
mivtza tefillin a few times a
alive. That’s when the miracle organ donor card. The line is
week. I felt that this gave me the
occurred. very long and there were plenty of
strength to continue. We went on
Yisrael told his story at a to have two more children after the people ahead of me. That’s when
thanksgiving farbrengen that was operation and life looked good. I realized what a miracle it was
held at the Mercaz Chesed. Sitting that I had already gotten a heart
there were Mendy Mathless, transplant.
shliach in Albany, and Rabbi THREE YEARS OF
Avrohom Lieder, director of SUFFERING
Ahavas Chesed, who got the donor THE MAN OF CHESED IN
The medicine I took to prevent
for him and made all the medical CROWN HEIGHTS
my body from rejecting the heart
arrangements. R’ Volpe referred me to Rabbi
transplant ruined my kidneys and
R’ Yisrael relates: I had to go on dialysis. I cannot Avrohom Lieder, director of
Until twelve years ago, I was describe to you how hard these Ahavas Chesed in New York. R’
a regular guy with no health treatments are. I had to do it Lieder spoke to me on the phone
problems. Then I suddenly three times a week but I suffered and said, “Come, and I will take
developed heart trouble and the from it all week. I struggled to care of you and do all I can to
doctors recommended a bypass contend with the harsh side effects. find you a donor.” I made the
operation. Unfortunately, the It’s hard to work before the arrangements with Kupat Cholim
surgery did not go well. My heart dialysis and even harder to work in Israel so they would pay for
failed completely and I experienced afterward. And in the background some of my treatment, and I came
clinical death. A month after the the doctors were warning that my to New York, straight to Crown
operation I was still very weak delicate medical condition was Heights, to Rabbi Lieder’s house.
and fatigued, when people older endangering my heart. R’ Lieder treated me like a
than me went home right after the At first I thought that after half king. He hosted me, fed me,
surgery and were back on their a year on dialysis my condition and took care of all my medical
feet. After a series of tests the would improve, but I slowly treatments, which included dialysis
doctors told me that if I wanted realized that I would have to and numerous tests in preparation
to remain alive I needed a heart continue these treatments until for a transplant. At the same
transplant. I got a kidney transplant. When time, he spread the word that we
My state of mind was abysmal, the doctors told me that I needed were looking for a kidney donor.
but I refused to allow myself to a new kidney, I wasn’t completely Aside from myself, there are other
lose hope. A few years earlier I surprised. I was anxious, but I Lubavitchers in Crown Heights
had started getting involved with thought I had been through the who need a kidney donation.
Chabad, and the Rebbe’s brachos, worst with a heart transplant and And then I had my personal
through the Igros Kodesh, that a kidney transplant couldn’t miracle. Two Lubavitchers who
strengthened me a lot. Faith possibly be as bad. But I quickly have type O blood like me, told
enabled me to endure difficult learned how hard it is to get a R’ Lieder they were willing to
days of illness and I became very kidney. My forty-year-old sister have themselves tested to see if
interested in the Rebbe’s sichos underwent all the tests and was they were a match. I was thrilled
and the mivtzaim. I manned a found to be compatible, but at the by this news, though I was also
tefillin stand in the pedestrian mall last minute, before the transplant, apprehensive lest they not be a

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FEATURE

match or they change their minds. extremely nerve wracking as you happen at the last minute if Mendy
I prayed that all would be well. wait for the results. got cold feet and backed down
R’ Lieder went with these two Aside from the medical from his noble offer?
men for medical tests at Mt. Sinai tests, the donors also undergo I felt a powerful need for
Hospital in Manhattan. That same psychological testing to see the Rebbe’s bracha. There on
day I had to be in the hospital and whether they are strong the table was volume 20 of the
was surprised to meet R’ Lieder enough to do this and that they Igros Kodesh. I took the volume
there with these two men. At the aren’t donating an organ for and asked the Rebbe, from the
time, I simply assumed these were unacceptable reasons. depths of my heart, to bless me
people R’ Lieder was helping. I During the waiting period, with success in the operation and
didn’t associate them with my I went into shul one Friday opened the volume.
situation. Neither the doctors nor and stood near the entrance. I It opened at random to page
R’ Lieder think it’s a good idea suddenly saw one of the men I 102 and the Rebbe’s letter said:
for the patient to meet potential had seen the week before in the Thank you for the good news
donors so there won’t be pressure hospital. I had the feeling it was about the successful medical
on them if they change their the unknown “Mendy” who had treatment and may she return to
minds. expressed his willingness to donate her strength soon and relate good
It was a few days later, when his kidney. I was very moved. I news on her own.
R’ Lieder told me that R’ Mendy knew that according to the rules I The letter, which was four
Mathless, shliach in Albany was a wasn’t supposed to talk to him but pages long, had to do with
match and he was willing to donate he stopped near me and looked at chinuch, and at the end of it the
a kidney to me, that I realized that me. Apparently he knew that I was Rebbe concluded that thinking
he was one of the men I had seen the one who would be getting his that the health problems resulted
in the hospital. I was examined by kidney. from exertion and efforts in the
some doctors and they declared my I couldn’t restrain myself school was wrong. “It is more
heart would be able to withstand and I motioned to him to come likely to say the opposite, that
the operation. over. I introduced myself and, the successful medical treatment
R’ Lieder told me that Mendy after confirming that he was the and regaining her strength
is a 26 year old shliach and father potential donor, I asked him, with etc. were the result of exerting
of two. He was very impressed great trepidation, whether this herself and efforts on behalf of
by him and saw that this was a was his final decision. He smiled the school. And if, as it seems
Chassidishe person whose decision reassuringly and said, “Definitely.” from the letter, they are confident
to be a donor came from genuine My entire body trembled in that giving money to tz’daka had
Ahavas Yisrael and the desire to great emotion. I felt that a heavy a connection to the successful
save the life of another Jew. R’ stone had rolled off my heart. treatment, as great as the mitzva
Lieder described Mendy as a man of tz’daka with money is, it is no
of truth, a real Chassid. comparison to tz’daka done with
The period of time from when A BRACHA FROM THE one’s body and neshama.”
R’ Lieder gave me the good news REBBE WITH A MESSAGE At that moment I decided
until the operation was not easy. After hearing that Mendy was that after a successful operation I
On the one hand, I was thankful determined, I was much calmer would get even more involved in
that I had found a donor; on but nevertheless, anxious thoughts the Rebbe’s mivtzaim and I would
the other hand, I was constantly occurred to me now and then. devote myself to being mekarev
plagued by the thought that he The day before the momentous people to their Father in heaven.
might back out. operation I was standing in 770
The kidney transplant process and thinking about the next day. I WHY HASHEM GAVE ME
is long and exhausting, with knew all the phases I would have
numerous tests for both the to undergo, starting with the exam TWO KIDNEYS
donor and the recipient. Every before the operation until the We went to the hospital at 5:30
test contains the possibility that recovery period. I also knew what in the morning. Mendy arrived
something won’t match and we Mendy, my good angel, would with his mother and I showed up
would have to start over, so it’s undergo. And yet I felt lost in a with my brother Shlomo, who had
sea of uncertainty. What would

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Yisrael and Mendy at the
thanksgiving meal. On the
right is the brother Shlomo
Konstantini. Standing is
Rabbi Avrohom Lieder.

come in from Israel and with my of bed and looked for Mendy. I others, about others’ pain. He
cousin who lives in New Jersey. entered his room, crying, and said, “I have two kidneys and I
In the waiting room, R’ Lieder asked everybody to leave so I could can live a full life with one. Why
sat with both families and spoke speak to him alone. did Hashem give me two kidneys?
encouragingly to them. R’ Lieder At first, I couldn’t say anything. So that if I see a Jew in need of a
later told me that Mendy went I hugged him and cried on his kidney to live, I can give him one
into the operation with utter shoulder. Then Mendy said, of mine. Boruch Hashem, I am
simcha and bitachon. Two other “What makes me most happy is healthy and don’t make too much
Lubavitcher men who had also that the doctors said the operation of it, I am not the first one in
donated a kidney in the past was a success and you are a the world to do this. Seeing you
because of the mitzva, came to healthy man.” healthy is my reward.”
encourage him. After I calmed down a little, Today, the fifth day of
Mendy’s mother had mixed I told Mendy that to me, he will Chanuka, I am celebrating my
feelings. On the one hand, she always be the dearest person on personal Chanuka miracle that I
was nervous for him, but she earth, a good angel. I told him got my life back with this kidney
tried to reassure herself with the how he saved me from the pain donation. There are people who
knowledge that he had made the of the dialysis treatment and a wait years for a donor. It’s a
decision to do this mitzva and difficult, painful, limited life; how miracle that I went to R’ Lieder, a
nobody could stand in his way. he gave me life itself. How he gave miracle that this terrific young man
The two families became close in me and my family hope. was willing, and a miracle that it
the waiting room all went well. Now I am fulfilling
It’s hard to believe there are
the Rebbe’s instruction to relate
After the successful operation I people like this in the world; may
the miracles that Hashem does for
thanked Hashem for His kindness there be many more. Pure people,
us, and in another month I will be
and I wanted to thank Mendy, too, real Chassidim of the Rebbe. I can
returning home to my wife and
for the amazing thing he did in just imagine what beautiful work
children in Eretz Yisrael.
parting with one of his kidneys to he does as a shliach in Albany. I
help a Jew he did not even know. can never repay him on this scale If you are interested in more
I was too overwhelmed with and in any case, he refuses to information about donating a
emotion to speak to him on the accept even a small gift. kidney, call Ahavas Chesed at
phone; I couldn’t say a word. 718-221-2424
Mendy modestly told me that
At a certain point I felt that he did it with the belief that this Esther Schwartz, Yediot
I could no longer hold back my is what should be done and that America helped prepare this article
feelings of gratitude. I got out one should always think about

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OBITUARY

NINETY
YEARS
YOUNG
He was a lamdan and an outstanding
masmid; a storyteller and a baal
menagein; he was a tremendous
baal chesed. Rarely does such a
diversity of talent ´nd its way into
one individual but the elder Chassid,
R’ Levik Pressman of Nachalat Har
Chabad a”h was one of those. He
passed away Motzaei Shabbos
VaYechi. He will be greatly missed.

By Shneur Zalman Berger

Shortly after Shabbos Parshas funeral procession set out, said that he considered halacha and
VaYechi, Rabbi Levi (Levik) it all. They all spoke in praise minhag inviolable, and there was
Pressman a”h, a distinguished of a man to whom anyone could no possibility of veering from
elder Chassid, talmid chacham, turn with a questions in learning, Shulchan Aruch and the sifrei
expert on the history of the halacha, customs or the history of minhagim for even a millimeter.
Admurim and their Chassidim, the Admurim and their Chassidim. That is how he lived and that is
well-known baal t’filla, and a true They spoke of a man who leined how he raised his children, and he
Chassid who dedicated his time (read from the Torah) with the tried to instill this supreme value in
and energy for the sake of Heaven, utmost precision; who was a baal all those who would heed him.
passed away. He was 90 years old. t’filla and baal menagen. Many
Until his final days he was active, spoke of his incredible devotion
keeping his learning schedule and to the Gemach (interest-free loan DRAWN TO CHABAD
running his chesed enterprise. fund) which he ran for decades. R’ Pressman was born on 25
The faces of the many I don’t think anybody ever Sivan 5680/1920 in Telenesti,
Chassidim, filled with grief, who saw R’ Levi Pressman idle. Those Bessarabia (now Moldova).
gathered near his home before the who were close to him knew His parents were Avrohom and
Sheindel, Hy”d. His father, who

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served as the official chazan of the
local shul was known as Avremel
Chazan. R’ Pressman inherited
this singing talent from his father,
for he too was a Chassidishe baal
t’filla who was gifted with a sweet
voice.
His parents were Hosiatin
Chassidim, and he was raised in
this way, but at a certain point he
was drawn to the Chabad shtibel in
his city where Chabad Chassidim
davened in previous generations
and where survivors of Chassidic
stock davened. The heads of the
shtibel quickly noticed his talents.
They asked him to lain for them
and to give a shiur in Shulchan Giving a shiur in Kollel Tiferes Levi Yitzchok
Aruch HaRav. This was the start (From right to left: R’ Tzvi Milevsky, R’ Zalman Levin, R’ Levik Pressman)
of his involvement with Chabad

‚
Chassidus.
Those who were close to him knew that he
In his youth he learned in the
famous Kishinev yeshiva, and over considered halacha and minhag inviolable, and
the years he kept in touch with his there was no possibility of veering from Shulchan Aruch
friends from yeshiva.
and the sifrei minhagim for even a millimeter.
TWO CHASSIDIM
IN THE URALS the Ural mountains he met two the first time that I met a young
Chabad Chassidim, R’ Dovid Lubavitcher Chassid who was a
During World War II he was
Geisinsky and R’ Dovid Karasik. yerei Shamayim (G-d fearing) in
conscripted into the Red Army,
He told me the following about the fullest sense, and he was truly
and he suffered greatly over the
this period in his life: happy, even though he worked
next two years. A few years ago,
“I worked in a factory in hard and suffered a lot.
he related to me that during that
period he lived in unbearable Chelyabinsk and was able to “On the first day of Rosh
physical and spiritual conditions. take vacation on Rosh HaShana HaShana we were in for a surprise.
He did not even have t’fillin. 5704/1943. I used my free time Early in the morning, a senior
to go to the local shul where I met military officer walked into shul.
After many journeys and
R’ Dovid Geisinsky who worked R’ Dovid and I wondered why he
travails, he arrived in Chelyabinsk
in a factory at the other end of the had come. During the davening
in the Ural mountains. At that
city. R’ Dovid had been a student he sat together with everyone and
time the government had tens of
in Tiferes Bachurim in Kiev and davened. We were even more
thousands of people deployed to
was exiled. At the end of his surprised when this officer was
factories. The employment of
period of exile he was told not to given Maftir and read it like a pro.
citizens was vital for normal life
return home but to work instead We learned that his name was Dr.
in the country during the war, as
in the factory in Chelyabinsk that Rivkin and he was a veterinarian
well as for maintaining a steady
had been turned into a makeshift by profession, a frum (religious)
flow of ammunition and medical
power station that generated man who had been drafted. He
equipment to the blood-drenched
electricity. came to shul every so often and the
front. Despite the fact that R’
“We were together for the two others knew him.
Pressman was young and strong,
he remained with the soldiers days of Rosh HaShana. At night “In time I met other people
who worked in a military factory we slept on benches. These two who worked in factories and were
instead of fighting. There in days were special for me, for it was from religious families. One of

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OBITUARY

“As opposed to those workers


FROM A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE who worked under difficult
conditions, I worked in a
R’ Levik to me wasn’t only a munitions factory where the work
distinguished Chassid but a Chassid was much easier. I was always
whom I had the privilege to know amazed to see R’ Dovid Geisinsky
personally. In his last decade I lived near in a constant state of joy despite
him. From time to time I heard pearls of the fact that he had been sentenced
wisdom from him, many of which I wrote to backbreaking work because he
for this magazine. was a released prisoner,.
The R’ Levik that I knew was “After the war we davened in
a Chassid who had not a moment the house of someone who lived
of idleness. I never saw him “just near the factory where my friends
schmoozing.” His “d’varim b’teilim” worked. I was the chazan, and
were the histories of Admurim and there was a large crowd including
Chassidim. The lion’s share of his time Polish Chassidim who attended
was devoted to learning or running his this makeshift shul. They filled the
many chesed projects. house and yard.
His care in fulfilling every detail, his “I was released from my work
R’ Pressman and the author punctiliousness in his mitzvos and those before the Pesach of 1946 while
of this article of others – these were a byword. He R’ Geisinsky and R’ Karasik
was exceedingly frustrated by those who continued laboring. I found a
spoke during davening and did not hesitate to challenge someone who changed small apartment, and both of them
from the established custom. At farbrengens he would sometimes tell stories of would come to my house on a
Chassidei Chabad as well as those from other Chassidic groups that he knew, regular basis. R’ Dovid Geisinsky
and everybody eagerly listened to every word he said. occasionally ate with me on
*** Shabbos and Yom Tov.”
Those who attended the shul in Nachala in recent years were quite familiar
with the chavrusas for Gemara, R’ Pressman and his good friend and mashpia RAV OF CHELYABINSK
of the k’hilla, R’ Michoel Mishulovin. They learned together, argued in learning
together, and it was all done quietly, without fanfare. Up until a few years Despite his young age, R’
ago the two would learn on the Pressmans’ porch where they felt free to learn Pressman was appointed rav of
loudly without it being “showy.” However, it would happen that in their great Chelyabinsk, although he did not
enthusiasm their voices would grow louder, and this gave spiritual pleasure to serve in this role for long. In 1948
the neighbors. The apartment of my father-in-law, R’ Lipa Klein, is above that rabbis were persecuted once again
of the Pressmans and the sound of learning would rise up and fill their home. in the Soviet Union, and when
The chayus, seriousness and simcha were an inseparable part of their learning, persecution began in Moscow his
and they were role models for everyone in Nachala. sister there sent him a telegram
urging him to leave his position
*** before he got into trouble. She
R’ Levik would tell stories. He helped me and others involved in Chassidic said it would be preferable for him
history and yet, it was very hard to get him to talk about his own life. However, to leave the city altogether. After
since he was so good at depicting events, it would happen that when he told a a brief time he went to Sverdlovsk
story about one of his friends, he would also describe what happened to him where he lived for a year and met a
at that time. Sometimes, when his children asked him to tell about his past, he few more Chabad Chassidim.
would do so but would first tell about Tzaddikim and Chassidim, which did not On his first Shabbos in
leave him much time to tell about his painful family history. Sverdlovsk, he noticed that the
Chassid, Rabbi Yitzchok Gershon
Burovik, remained in shul and
them was R’ Dovid Karasik who and director of Aguch in Eretz
continued davening for a long
ended up here during the war. Yisroel]. I was regularly in touch
time. He later found out that R’
[This R’ Dovid was a brother of R’ with these people and others, and
Burovik had learned in Tomchei
Eliezer Karasik, who was the rav they described to me how difficult
T’mimim in Lubavitch and had
of the Chabad k’hilla in Tel Aviv their lives were.

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Two weeks before he passed Receiving a dollar from the Rebbe
away, at the grave of the Admur of
Hosiatin
also been the chozer of the Rebbe Pressman began to integrate within large quantity of holy books which
Rayatz. His davening and review the Chabad Chassidic community they managed to take out legally.
of Chassidus made a tremendous and even learned Tanya regularly
impression on R’ Pressman, who with Rabbi Eliyahu Levin (who
began to understand and feel what had been a chozer for the Rebbe MEMBER OF THE VAAD OF
Lubavitch Chassidus is about. Rashab). NACHALAT HAR CHABAD
Another Chassid he was in touch Due to financial difficulties, he After moving to Eretz Yisroel
with was R’ Leib Rochlin, who was moved to Tashkent where he found he settled in Nachalat Har Chabad
the shamash of the local shul. work in small factories where frum and was a pillar of the Chassidic
Years later he related: people worked. This enabled him community there. Shortly after
“Even after we parted ways, R’ to keep Shabbos. he arrived, he was appointed as a
Dovid Geisinsky did not forget me, The years to come were ones member of the community Vaad.
and he wanted to make a shidduch of mesirus nefesh (self sacrifice) He served in this position for
with me and a relative of his. He in which he faces the challenge nearly forty years until his final
sent me frequent letters begging of raising his children in the ways day.
me to leave for Samarkand where I of Torah and Chassidus despite He worked as a fundraiser for
could meet his relative. However, communist oppression. With institutions and as a mashgiach
my first priority was finding a heavenly assistance, he was able to in a slaughterhouse in Kiryat
match for my single sister. It was raise an upright generation with Malachi. He performed these
only after she married in 5710 all his sons and daughters going responsibilities solely to provide
that I went to Samarkand where I in the way of Torah and Chassidus for his family; they were not
became engaged.” and eventually establishing his primary occupations. His
R’ Pressman married Malka beautiful families of their own. priorities were learning Torah and
Goldschmidt in Adar 5711. Her Like many Chassidim, the providing for the needs of the
father R’ Yitzchok had been Pressmans wished to leave Russia, community. For 25 years he ran
a ben-bayis (member of the but the Iron Curtain was tightly Kollel Tiferes Levi Yitzchok and
household) of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok closed. In the 70’s it opened a for 30 years, until his final day,
Schneersohn, and he was a crack, and the Pressmans were he ran a Gemach that provided
great help to him. They lived in able to escape. On Chai Elul numerous loans. These he started
Samarkand where there was a 1971 they arrived in Eretz Yisroel, following a request of the Rebbe
large Lubavitch community. R’ having taken along with them a in 5740 that institutions be started

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OBITUARY

work, and R’ Pressman went to


bed.
Early in the morning his wife
noticed that he was unconscious,
and they immediately called for an
ambulance. Friends and relatives
who were at the ICU found it hard
to believe that R’ Levik, who had
been so active, was lying inert.
Sadly, he passed away on Motzaei
Shabbos.
The funeral left from his house
with hundreds of Chassidim
escorting a man who was active
in the community just three days
Chavrusos: R’ Pressman (right) and R’ Michoel Mishulovin earlier. His stroke had been on
Thursday.
and named for his father, R’ Levi over to the amud to daven, word
When the funeral reached
Yitzchok. R’ Pressman’s father- by word.
the shul, his good friend and
in-law, R’ Yitzchok Goldschmidt A few months ago R’ Pressman mashpia of the k’hilla, R’ Michoel
of Dnepropetrovsk, had told turned 90. Despite his advanced Mishulovin, spoke briefly,
him many things about the gaon age, he acted like people many emphasizing that R’ Pressman had
and mekubal R’ Levi Yitzchok years his junior. asked a number of times that his
Schneersohn, and R’ Pressman felt
Erev Rosh Chodesh Teves praises should not be sung after
connected to him.
is the yahrtzait of the Admur of his death. In a voice choked with
When the Iron Curtain opened Hosiatin to whom R’ Pressman tears he said that R’ Pressman had
and new shluchim began to go was attached since his youth. A been devoted to the community
to the former Soviet Union, R’ few weeks ago on that date, he at large, as well as to every
Pressman also went there on traveled to Teveria to prostrate individual. “It’s a great loss for
shlichus. His son R’ Nachum, on his grave. Then he davened at the shul, a great loss for Nachalat
shliach to Germany, relates: the gravesites of the tzaddikim R’ Har Chabad, a great loss for every
“This was 5750, and going on Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, R’ one of us.” Then R’ Sholom Ber
shlichus back then wasn’t easy. Avrohom of Kalisk, and others. Garelik related some special acts
My father was already 70 years Thus, he parted (and perhaps was of chesed that R’ Pressman did
old, but nevertheless, he went to reunited) with the great Chassidic modestly, without publicity.
Kiev alone where he accomplished masters to whom he felt so close. From Nachalat Har Chabad the
great things. The conditions were The night before he was funeral proceeded to Yerushalayim
tough, and yet he accomplished hospitalized he davened before where R’ Pressman was buried on
so much. He even considered the amud, and then he gave a Har HaMenuchos, near his friend
bringing my mother and remaining shiur on the three daily chapters and neighbor, R’ Mottel Kozliner.
there permanently.” of Rambam, in place of the usual They had been friends for over
He traveled frequently to the lecturer who could not make fifty years during their lifetime,
Rebbe and did so with a strong it. He also spoke about the and now they are buried side by
feeling of hiskashrus. importance of answering “amen” side.
Every year he would be the and the severity of talking during His is survived by his wife
chazan for Maariv of Motzaei Yom davening. Then he went home Malka and children: R’ Avrohom
Kippur. People wondered why and sat for a long time with R’ – Yerushalayim; Mrs. Sheindel
this elderly Chassid, after a day of Avrohom Makovitsky, one of the (Yaffa) Lipsker – Natzrat Ilit; Mrs.
fasting, wanted to be the chazan. administrators of the Gemach Batya Raskin – Kfar Chabad; Mrs.
The answer was that he knew that Levi Yitzchok, and together Esther Raskin – London; Mrs.
many people run through this t’filla they reviewed recent loans and Yehudis Feldman – Kfar Chabad;
quickly because they want to end repayments. Close to 11:00 that R’ Yitzchok – B’nei Brak; R’
the fast, and this is why he went night they finished their Gemach Nachum – shliach in Germany.

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